Willful Ignorance in Dating and STIs: Why People Reject Facts About Sexual Health
Have you ever shared a herpes or STI fact with someone and they didn’t believe you?
Maybe you’ve encountered a date who says they can’t get an STI because they’re “not that kind of person.”
Or maybe you shared your STI status with a date or asked them to share their latest screening results, only to be met with rejection or resistance.
You could share all the data in the world with someone, and they still might not be ready to confront that truth.
This is willful ignorance in action. But what is it, and why does it happen?
Willful ignorance serves as a protective armor.
People often choose to ignore facts that challenge their beliefs or make them feel uncomfortable.
It’s often easier to cling to myths about STIs and dating someone with one than to confront truths about intimate health.
Ignorance is comfortable, unlearning takes effort.
Maybe you participated in STI stigma once, too. Hey, I know I did.
It’s easy to distance ourselves if we feel invincible.
Do you want to learn more about the role that willful ignorance plays in dating, disclosure, rejection, and misinformation?
Check out my latest Substack, “The Eye of Ignornace,” to learn more. New articles are up every Wednesday and Sunday!