Did you know that 1 in 2 sexually active people will get a sexually transmitted disease by the time they turn 25? Living on a college campus, we are a hotbed of sexually active young adults with too many hormones than we know what to do with. So then why are we so ashamed to talk about STDs? For one, admitting to having an STD paves the way for judgments and unfortunate assumptions: You sleep around. You’re stupid and don’t use protection. You’re dirty. You don’t value your body.
Like Hester Prynne and her scarlet A, sexually transmitted diseases mark a person with an abundance of unkind and unfair labels. It’s time we stop shaming one another and start getting informed.
Admittedly, I had not thought about STDs since my 10th grade health class. Or, at least I thought of them in an arid, abstract sort of way, the same way I think about graduation: I know it’s out there, but it doesn’t seem real.
That was until my friend and fellow Pitt student approached me to tell me that she had gonorrhea. Jess* approached me because she didn’t know what to do. She had gotten a call from an ex-fling. He told her that he had gotten tested and the results were positive for gonorrhea and that she should be tested. She was mortified. She didn’t want anyone to know and was afraid what people would think if they found out. Talking with her made me realize all the previous misconceptions I had had about STDs. I knew Jess didn’t sleep around. I knew she only had one sexual partner at a time. I knew she was on the pill and always used condoms — and yet the moment she said “STD,” my head was flooded with thoughts of people whose sexual habits were questionable at best. It made me disgusted with myself. Why do we do this to each other? Why do we shame each other for something that is happening to 50% of sexually active people?
A lot of it has to do with ignorance. We think that STDs are spread by sexual deviates and IV drug users. This is false.
Did you know: You can get an STD through oral and anal sex as well as vaginal sex? If you don’t use a condom during oral or anal sex, you can get infected.
There is also an enormous stigma behind getting an STD test. It allows for people to fill in the blanks of why you’re getting it done with their own assumptions. There is absolutely no shame in getting tested. If you are sexually active, you should be getting tested once a year at the very least. Even in a committed relationship, it is always wise to get tested just to be safe. Sexual health care is especially affected by social perception. This means that men assume they can’t get STDs that usually affect vaginas. This also means that member of the LGBTQ community often don’t get the kinds of support they need. Pitt offers services for the LGBQ community, which you can find here. There are many other options for getting low cost, or even free, STD tests. It’s also important to note that a doctor will not automatically test for something. You need to explicitly ask for a test if you want to be tested for it.
What scared Jess the most was that she didn’t know what having gonorrhea meant for the future. Would she always have it? Would she have to get a prescription to treat it? Would it go away on its own?
Did you know: Many STDs are curable and most, including HIV, are treatable?
The only way to get treatment for an STD is to get tested and talk with a doctor. Most STDs show no symptoms and the only way to know if you are infected is to get tested. The sooner you get tested, the sooner you can get treatment.
Did you know: If left untreated, STDs can cause fertility problems in women and men and more serious complications, like liver problems and death?
Jess went to get tested and was prescribed and given a one-dose antibiotic on the spot. Most of the common STDs are treated with simple antibiotics. Some require more treatment. You can find more information about specific STDs here.
Testing positive for an STD is not the end of the world. It is something that happens even when we have the best of intentions. Instead of focusing on the social implications, we should focus on prevention in the future. We need to stop shaming people into silence about sexually transmitted diseases. Don’t be ashamed—speak up and get tested!
*Names have been changed