SPFPP Episode 187: Maybe it Really is Just the Herpes - The 300 of Stigma

This was supposed to be a quick update on the survey and overlooking herpes in relationships but it turned into an hour long celebration of our success with this 2021 HSV survey! If you've seen the movie 300, you'll know what I mean when I say I'm feeling like King Leonidas of Sparta in the mofo right now! We got MORE than 1,000 people to rise against the Trojan Empire... Stigma! We have declared war on stigma and this survey creation was the initial kicking in the chest of the Trojan messenger that came up in our house, Sparta for peace! You ain't gettin that up in here SON! Okay I am getting carried away lol but you get the point by now. Anyways, the podcast stresses the importance of identifying what's important in your relationships. For me, I learned from my last relationship the importance of communicating with emotion vs communicating. Emotions can be the undercurrent of language/words being communicated and aren't something to be avoided through repression or ignored altogether. Ask yourself are you supported, challenged AND celebrated in all your expression/identities by your partners/communities/relationships. Are you communicating what you need when you need it? As much as I try to downplay my experience with herpes, it's a major part of my life and identity, but by choice. I understand this to be valid now, and the validation of this in my expression is important as it is part of my self expression. Survey results are being cleaned up and I'll post them to the website as soon as I can! Thanks for your support and patience!