If you’ve been following ThePolyamorousMillennial for a while, you know that STI awareness/education and specifically HPV education is something I value greatly. The goal of my blog is to destigmatize topics that have been misunderstood for too long.

In 2021 I tested positive for HPV and have been able to experience detrimental stigmatization firsthand. Through sharing my story over the years, I’ve had more than 30 women come to me and express how they’d been struggling with the same thing.

One of the most common myths I sought to overturn was that once you test positive for HPV, you will have it forever. Last month, I received my test results from my annual appointment.

I tested negative for HPV.

I’m in the 9 out of 10 whose HPV infection provided zero negative symptoms and went away on its own in 2 years.

The blog I wrote in 2022 about HPV has now been viewed over 1000 times…..

That’s:

• 1000+ people who hopefully know a bit more about HPV
• 1000+ people who will put less of a stigma on those with HPV
• 1000+ people who understand that 90% of sexually active adults will have an HPV infection at some point in their life, whether they know it or not
• 1000+ people who know that 9 out of 10 HPV infections go away on their own within 2 years

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading and for being part of the solution on stigmatization.

XO,

Kelsey