Dating a girl with a cold sore

Vulnerability is incredibly difficult — especially when the very thing you are exposing is something that brings up feelings of shame and self-hatred.When I first contracted herpes, I was devastated and ashamed.In fact, in a recent Bustle Trends Group survey of 226 women ages 18 to 34, one participant said, “It’s hard to admit to having had an STI, there’s so many gross assumptions about promiscuity and uncleanliness.” As another respondent put it, “Women are seen as less sexual beings in society which keeps us from being able to talk about issues without some form of shaming from others.” Sadly, the more women with herpes feel shamed, the more the cycle of stigmatizing the STI continues, and the harder it may be to tell a sexual partner you have herpes.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one out of every six people 14-to-49 years old in the U. have genital herpes, also known as herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2).Many people either don’t have a visible sore, or do not know they have herpes, and then pass it on to their partner(s).But for some, the stigma around herpes can be worse than any of the actual symptoms.However, revealing their herpes status is understandably a challenge for some people more than others.“When it comes to telling a partner about having herpes, there really is no easy way to do it,” Lawrence A.

I noticed telling my partners got easier as time wore on.In one case in particular, that heartfelt moment and mutual respect even boosted the connection we felt toward each other.” So what does the conversation actually look like?From what they say to how new partners react, here’s how Laureen and 22 other women tell a sexual partner they have genital herpes.I’ve had some partners flat-out reject me in anger, others ghost, and a couple have spilled intimate secrets in response to my vulnerability.I’ve received incredulous laughter, ignorance, hate, hugs, high-fives. In this herpes journey of mine, I’ve tripped and fallen not-so-gracefully and taken the wrong turn.