You get coldsores. One pops up, and you get annoyed. Maybe you even vent about it to a friend or a coworker. And then it goes away. And you don't think about it again. You don't think it's a big deal. And you certainly don't think you need to tell a prospective sexual partner about the nuisance coldsores that you occasionally get. 

Except those coldsores? They are just a socially acceptable name for *gasp* herpes. Yes, coldsores are the same thing as herpes. I know, I know. Sit down for a minute while you absorb that information if you're feeling a little shook. It's not your fault if you are misinformed...most likely, the sexual education failed you, just like it has failed so many others. And the media? It definitely hasn't helped any either.

HSV-1, or oral herpes, somehow managed to get the privilege of being able to hide behind the word coldsores. AND YET. They are herpes. Plain and simple. Even a very popular brand that has over-the-counter products to alleviate symptoms of coldsores has a website that stresses the fact that if you have coldsores you should be informing your partners....YET NEVER MENTIONS THE WORD HERPES. Not once. 

Herpes is passed through skin to skin contact. Whether you have an active outbreak (sore) or not, you can still pass the virus. I know, I know...you're shook again, aren't you? It's ok, it's not your fault. Let me get you a tiny bit more shook...this means that if you get coldsores, even if you do not have an active sore, simply by kissing someone you can pass the virus to them. And that means kissing on the mouth, OR a little further south. 

In this episode I discuss the importance of disclosing if you get coldsores to potential partners and the hopeful signs of seeing more celebrity figures being more open about discussing getting coldsores. This topic also inspired me to share a conversation I had with a partner that forever changed the way that I view disclosures and how they should be handled.

Join me in this important conversation regarding taking ownership over our sexual health, and how to never let anyone make us feel like our positive status is a burden.

Ella Dawson TedX Herpes Talk: A MUST WATCH!

Herpes articles:

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