Last week, Dr. Kate kindly answered a woman's question about whether or not she had to tell her partner she had HPV. This week, we're taking it upon ourselves to answer the same question -- and we're taking no prisoners:
In a word, YES!
Everyone has the right to know what they're getting into when they're getting into bed with you. It doesn't matter how pervasive an STD is, how inconsequential it might turn out to be, or how likely it is that you'll eventually get it (or that you already have it) -- everyone deserves to know the truth. So if you know you've got something, you've got to come clean (as it were). f------ is not a right, it's a privilege, and you've got to earn that privilege via honest communication about your bod and where it's been. We're pretty sure the NY Times ethicist would have our back on this.
If more people fessed up to their sexual health status, then we'd all know a little more about the pervasive STDs that affect us -- and probably not be so freaked out. Knowledge is power, and power is sexy. The more we all talk about it, the more it will become clear that it's not only dirty, promiscuous, evil people who get STDs (such a tired yet stubborn cliche) -- many totally cool, super nice and very good-looking people get sexually transmitted infections, too.
Unfortunately, honest communication isn't always the quickest route to sex or even love. So people get scared into concealing an STD out of fear of loneliness (or horniness). Don't fall into this trap: Even though it doesn't feel like it when you first get diagnosed with something, you will have sex again. You will fall in love and you'll probably get married, have a couple kids, the whole nine.
And please, if any of you happen to be on the receiving end of a conversation like this, be cool about it. Honest Abes should be rewarded for their behavior -- not with unprotected genital-to-genital contact, natch, but at least with a polite, considerate, and sympathetic response. Of course, it's your right to walk away (just don't run). But know this: Many STDs are either curable, or at least manageable. So if you choose to turn your back, you could be turning it on your one true soulmate and walking into a future of eternal solitude.
True dat,
Em & Lo
