Why Criminalizing STIs is a Bad Idea
Criminalizing STIs is a bad idea. Let’s talk about why!
Before we get into it, I want to state that some people DO, unfortunately, weaponize their STI status through lack of disclosure and seeking a means of control.
However, the majority of STI transmissions occur asymptomatically or without ill intent. Meaning, maybe someone has cold sores and didn’t realize their partner might end up with genital herpes.
Or maybe someone didn’t know they had an STI because they had little or minimal symptoms and didn’t think to get tested. When we think back to s-x ed in the US, STIs presenting with little or no symptoms contradicts the often severe images many of us saw in health class.
We know that abstinence only s-x ed doesn’t work. A few years back, I made a post about the problems with the criminalization of HIV.
Regarding laws criminalizing HIV transmission, CDC stated that, “In many cases, this same standard is not applied to other treatable diseases. Further, these laws have been shown to increase stigma, exacerbate disparities, and may discourage HIV testing.” (CDC, 2022)
The same is applicable here. These are some of the most common STIs that occur. Instead of demonizing people, we need to invest time and effort into educating them.
What are your thoughts?