Unpacking the Impact of School, Media, and Religion on Herpes Stigma
Yesterday I posed a question around fear of herpes and rejection, and where those fears originated. Today I want to discuss the classic messages received via school, media, and religion, and pose how that impacts our belief systems.
Please note, these messages may vary by ethnicity, geographic location, race, religion, socioeconomic status, and more.
School sex Ed: worst case scenarios & symptoms + avoidance; “use a condom;” no communication skills or templates offered to students
Media: “at least it’s not herpes;” herpes & STIs as punchlines; absence of communication before sex
Religion: punishment for sex before marriage; avoidance