You’d think that once you’ve come out as having herpes on the CBC, as well as publishing a blog about having herpes that the work would be done. But, in reality, I think about having herpes all the time and worry that people will judge me, find me unattractive, think I’m diseased and therefore disgusting all the time, no matter how often I say it out loud.
Tonight I was at a gathering, and it was really fun and someone asked me what my ‘claim to fame’ was. I said it was telling the world, through the CBC that I have herpes. He was a lovely young man and his response was ” wow, you have herpes”. Since he’s an aware and wonderful person, he meant it like ‘great, so many people do but I never meet anyone who actually says it’ kind of way. But I clenched and felt judged. Which is my stuff, not his and I wonder if I’ll ever get over it. And then I wonder how people who keep herpes a secret manage to tell others or come out about having herpes when it feels like such a challenge to me, even after telling the whole world about it.
Posted by clyde1120 on June 16, 2012 at 8:37 pm
It’s hard to tell the truth in a world that just loves to keep secrets. Stand proud and pat yourself on the back because you have the high moral ground here Shelley as do I and a few more of us whom are honest enough to do the right thing.
I struggled with hiding HSV for years and it just isn’t sustainable nor healthy mind wise. This is why this site and others are magnificent because it is a way for people to take the first step and test the water before jumping in.
Well done lady I say.
Clyde
Posted by Monti on September 15, 2012 at 12:24 pm
I feel the same way. I work in a hospital and I wonder all the time if I would ever date any on my co-workers again because of my Herpes. I also wonder if any of my co-workers themselves have Herpes. I don’t think I could ever just come out and tell somebody that I work with that I have it…it’s too embarrassing.