Hi Nie,

I’m sorry to hear about what happened with your half-brother when you were so young — such terrible abuse is never, ever the victim’s fault. I can hear how frustrated you are that the people in your life are treating your sexuality merely as a negative reaction to your abuse, rather than as an inherent part of who you are. You strike me as someone who is very confident about their sexuality even while acknowledging the terrible things that have happened to you in your past.

There’s no way to know for sure if you have herpes other than by going to the doctor — but facing such a diagnosis can be scary and daunting — especially when you feel as though you have no one close to you to turn to who understands. Is there any way you could access a doctor anonymously?

It sounds like in many ways your sexuality provides you with strength and confidence when other aspects of your life are gloomy. Embrace it!

The Support Team