Talking STI's for Hot Takes

Words by Phoebe Robertson (she/her)

Last year, Aotearoa reported a 41% rise in cases of syphilis— a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that predominantly affects men aged 20-39. In 2022, monkeypox also entered Aotearoa, and it’s impacts still remain largely undocumented and uncertain.

For this week's hot takes, I spoke to students at Te Herenga Waka–Victoria University of Wellington about their experiences of the STI dialogue. I wanted to figure out if young people had felt stigma around discussing STIs.

Personally, I’ve experienced both sides of the coin. Friends have gotten quiet or embarrassed in conversations when STIs and testing has been mentioned, and hookups have stated that they ‘couldn’t remember the last time they got tested’. I’ve also had in-depth conversations with people comparing doctors experiences, discussing how easy it is to get bloods tested at Wellington SCL, and talking about how surprisingly easy the STI testing process has been with my GP.

The more times I’ve brought up sexual health with hook-ups, the easier it’s become. Honestly, most of the time they’ve appreciated me being the person to bring it up. After all, one slightly uncomfortable conversation is worth the price of being proactive and informed about your partner's (whether it’s a one night stand or long term relationship) sexual health.

If I could give any advice to students reading this, it’s that STI testing isn’t embarrassing. It’s general health. Mauri Ora is a free service offered to VUW students, and it’s very easy to go in and do a selfswab. Please also remember to do throat or anal swabs if you’re participating in oral or anal sex, because those often get overlooked both by students and doctors.