A doctor has made the case for people to stop using the words “Dirty” and “Clean” when talking about people and their sexual health.
Doctor Naomi Sutton who is a trustee for the sexual health charity, Saving Lives, uploaded a thought-provoking video in which she pleaded with viewers to stop using the words “clean” and “dirty” to describe people and their sexual health because of the stigma that those words carry.
In the video, the doctor, who also stars in the E4 show The Sex Clinic holds up a number of placards with a simple message; let’s not use “dirty” and “clean” as words to describe sexual health and for us all to get tested for STIs more regularly.
She also pointed out that STIs were not a matter of personal hygiene and that there was no way of telling who has an STI by just looking at them.
You can read about our experience of getting a sexual health test here.
Here’s the text from Dr Sutton’s video.
This is a plea,
Let’s stop using the words “clean” and “dirty” to describe people and their sexual health.
It just promotes STIGMA and misunderstanding.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are not a matter of personal hygiene, You cannot tell by looking at or talking to someone whether or not they have an STI.
All STIs can be present without symptoms, including HIV, syphilis, Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Herpes Virus and the wart virus (HPV).
Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea tests are easy to do,
a) a wee in a pot for men
b) a self-taken vaginal swab in women.
HIV and syphilis tests are simple blood test…. book in today and get tested!
Let’s talk about sex and STIs openly and honestly without stigma or shame.
It is recommended that sexually active people, who have a number of different sexual partners should go for an STI test at their local Sexual Health clinic every 3 to 6 months, or order a FREE at-home HIV test kit from Saving Lives. if you use the promo code: GAYUK20.
