EP80: Jenelle Pierce on Unraveling the STI/STD Stigma, Genital Herpes, and Developing Sexual Agency, and Relational Communication

Jenelle Marie Pierce is the Executive Director of The STI Project, the founder of the Herpes Activist Network, and is the spokesperson for Positive Singles.  As an STI + Sexual Health Educator and content creator, Jenelle is dismantling STI stigma through awareness, education, and acceptance. What She Shares:     The definitions of STI and STD, and how they differ     Safe sex vs safer sex     How many sexually active people contract STIs in their lifetime     Her own journey with untangling STI stigma  What You'll Hear:     Understanding that you are not alone with an STI diagnosis     The majority of people living with STIs are unaware of their status     Untangling the stigma around genital herpes     Understanding that STI stigma originated with stigma around sex     How different cultures view herpes     Removing the differentiation between HSV1 and HSV2     Examining your own views on promiscuity and what it means to be 'good'     Understanding the impacts of a positive STI status and learning to communicate about it     Identifying the reasons why we engage in sex so we can have full agency over our choices     Determining how and when to disclose your STI status     How having an STI can increase the authenticity of relational communication     Giving yourself time and space to determine if you want to move forward in a sexual relationship with a positive partner     Remembering to embrace the pleasure of sex     Holding personal agency in sexual decisions     Finding an STI educator that fits your needs and style