How do I tell my partner I have a body AND a past?

A great question and response about telling someone about your herpes (or anything). Thanks to Scarleteen for passing this on from Captain Awkward.com. Hopefully this is the sort of conversation you can have with the young people you work with.

Hello Captain and Company!

About a year and a half ago I had my primary outbreak of genital herpes. It was excruciating, both physically and emotionally, but I’m finally starting to pick up the pieces and feel like myself again. I’m starting to feel like I maybe want to date again, finally (yay), but I’d like to be prepared for the inevitable awkwardness of telling a hypothetical partner about the herpes. It’s an awkward enough conversation to have when you don’t have anything communicable. Herpes isn’t the biggest deal as far as STIs go, but it isn’t kittens and rainbows, either. Being honest has always been important to me, but it’s even more important to me now since the person I got it from wasn’t– between telling me he’d been tested, that he’d tested negative over six months after my outbreak, and that he’d show me his test results, there was certainly a lie. Herpes doesn’t happen spontaneously, and his test results never materialized. So I really, REALLY want to be open and honest about it.......

CLICK HERE to read the rest AND the response

Friend Zoned

Maybe you don't know the term? Friend Zoned means that you like someone romantically but they say (and most of us have heard this at some time or other) " I really like you ...but only as a friend"

Being friend zoned is not easy for any of the people involved.... but it doesn't have to mean the end of a friendship. Although dealing with the feelings can be hard - this is just another important skill to learn as we move through life.

Recently I came across this nice article on being 'friendzoned' on the Scarleteen website. Have a read. It may give you some ideas when working with young people around this issue

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