anothersivil

The stigma is ridiculous given the prevalence of type 1 oral herpes, aka "cold sores." It's literally the same disease, just on a different part of the body. There are different risks depending on where it's located, for sure. But our culture views simply the location of the disease through extraordinarily different lenses. I'm not even sure how widely known it is that oral herpes and genital herpes can, again, literally be the same virus.

You say you want to eliminate the social stigma. Other than this AMA and day-to-day interactions, what are some of your plans achieving this goal?

*Note: I am aware of the difference between type 1 and type 2, including symptoms and the differences in likelihoods as to where one type is likely to stick around.

EDIT: Apparently, some are taking my comment in ways that I'd not intended. I'm not trying shame anyone for making choices about who they have sexual contact with. Nobody ever needs to justify why they choose to have or not have sex with any else. Period. My opinion is that the level of stigma given to people with herpes is over the line. There's a difference between saying "I don't want to get herpes, so I'm not going to have sex with you" and "You're a fucking dirty slut, why would I have sex with your kind of filth?" The latter is what I have a problem with.

Not trying to start a movement, just trying to take a chip out of the ice block.

Every bit counts. Movements get started because of all the little chips taken out of the block along the way. Good on you.

600uT (microtesla) = 6 Gauss, and the Earth's natural magnetic field (what compasses react to) is about 0.5 Gauss.

Check back on the comments in the post in a couple of hours. If the post picks up enough traction, you'll see why. It's already started in some threads.

Nothing terrible yet, but I think there are some comments that are borderline passive aggressive with some underlying judgment. Could just be my cynicism, though :P