herpes.

no, i don't have it. but it's interesting how the topic has come up 3 times in the past few days.
first, when i was on the plane, i pondered how the whole "let's get tested together before we have sex" deal goes. so what happens if either of you find out you have an STD at the testing site? do u suddenly say, i'm not interested in you anymore because you have an STD? people with STD's need love too. do you just change your mind and say, "thanks but no thanks"? isn't an STD like a medical condition? i mean, do u say, 'i'm not interested because you have diabetes?" it's not like those people went out and sought the STD. they obviously didn't want it. it's a medical condition, right? it makes for some awkward times, i'd say. and what happens after you date someone for a while, both parties believe they're clean, then one or both of them get tested or get tested for something else and accidentally find out they have herpes? does the partner end the relationship? is it like, "i don't like you anymore cus you have herpes?" how does that work? so i posed the question to D, who responded, u can answer hypothetically all you want, but when it really happens, there are emotions involved and you may respond differently anyway.

then the Tigress tells me her friend sent her stuff on herpes and she's now worried about having sex with others for fear of herpes.

then my friend karen tells me her almost-bf confides in her that he has herpes but it's only contagious to your partner if you are having an outbreak. and you can decrease outbreaks if you live healthy, decrease stress and take care of yourself. he also said you can have unprotected sex and not catch it so long as your partner isn't having an outbreak. he says that you can have it and never know you have it for years until you outbreak. karen read a little about herpes and learned that 60% of people have it. she's worried because she wants to eventually have kids if they end up together but that would mean unprotected sex. she took the plunge and had protected sex for first time with a man she knew had herpes. i urged her to read more about facts and myths about herpes cus everyone is so paranoid about STDs and alot of it could be myths for all we know. but i don't know what i'd do in her situation. it's a toughie cus she really likes him.

all this herpes talk in a course of a few days.