#things i wish i learned in school

kat-rampant:

rightthereplease:

sugar-dove:

Awesome risk charts from Smart Sex Resource

Many std/stis are easily treatable and some are asymptomatic, so have your health check often.

Please keep your safety in mind always <3

Why is it not public knowledge that you can get herpes from kissing?? What the fuck

It’s less-than-common knowledge that you can get herpes from kissing because knowing how transmittable and outright common it is would break down the stigma that surrounds it. Or, put another way, the stigma that surrounds herpes is such that people don’t want to discuss it as commonplace, prefering to deny that functionally, the majority of adults have some variety ofHSV1orHSV2, and that on the balance it’s really not that terrible a disease. In fact, it’s difficult to estimate how much of the population is infected because a lot of cases are completely asymptomatic. 

Use common sense, stay away from lesions on the lips, genitals, and anus (that means cold sores!) and use barrier protection (when touching genitals or anuses with any other body part) with partners if you don’t know their status and aren’t in a place where all partners are ready discuss fluid bonding. 

But if you do end up contracting herpes it is not death, and it is not going to doom you to a sexless life. What’s going to happen to you is that sometimes - likely around stress like colds - you will get blisters somewhere tender and you’ll be a little extra tired for maybe a week. Make sure to talk to a doctor about how this may affect you and what you can do about it, and advise sexual partners so everyone’s nice and informed. And take a deep breath.