‘Truth or Consequences’

The Minnesota Department of Health Reminds Us That Where Romance is Concerned, Honesty is the Best Policy

The truth is that the consequences might best be described as a rainbow of awful: penile discharge, vaginal discharge, ulcers on the genitals, ulcers around the genitals, pelvic inflammatory disease, painful sores, painful rashes, liver damage, liver cancer, cervical cancer, anal cancer or throat cancer.

Worst of all, the consequences might be nothing, prompting no action, no reaction.

These consequences are symptoms that could indicate sexually transmitted infections, or STIs.

The Minnesota Department of Health defines these thusly: “Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are also known as sexually transmitted infections (STIs). These are infections caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites that are spread through sexual activity, specifically anal, vaginal, and oral sex.”

As we say in Minnesota: “Ish.”

Continues the website, “Some STDs, such as hepatitis B and HIV, are also transmitted through blood-to-blood contact, through sharing syringes or equipment to inject drugs, body piercing equipment or tattooing needles.”

As we say in Minnesota: “Uff da.”

You might think, “Oh, I learned all that stuff between half-guilty, scarlet-faced giggles in high school, so I’m good” … but, according to the Minnesota Department of Health, the sheer number of such infections increased within the Lake State by 9% in 2024. In other words, what’s been tried before obviously isn’t working now.

As we say in Minnesota: “Aw, cripes.”

In addressing this problem, prevention is the obvious, short-term priority, and there your post-elementary “there’s no such thing as safe sex only safer sex” education might prove somewhat effective: avoiding risky behaviors, using condoms, limiting sexual partners, getting tested frequently and communicating honestly have value … but long-term health requires longer-term commitment.

“Anecdotally, we may see a slight increase of STI numbers in late summer or early fall, which may correspond to increased outreach and engagement activities by grantees,” notes José Ramirez, an HIV testing supervisor at the MDH, referring to organizations that receive funding from the government agency. “There is no significant statistical numbers to describe these trends. Recent numbers may be impacted due to COVID-19, unrest in Minneapolis/St. Paul during spring/summer and reduced Pride events during that time period. These factors led to a reduction in HIV/STI testing events.”

But testing, of course, persists, and, after prevention, dealing with less-than-ideal test results as quickly as possible is a patient’s best strategy.

“If you or a partner have been diagnosed with HIV or an STI, you can reach out to MDH Partner Services at (651) 201-5414,” Ramirez assures. “This program offers people who have been diagnosed with HIV or an STI referrals to medical, prevention and other services, and helps with partner notification. The services are confidential and available year-round.”

These services can take on many cooperative forms, as well.

“MDH also funds multiple community-based organizations and local public health to provide HIV Testing, Health Education and Outreach, Harm Reduction Services, PrEP and DoxyPeP,” supplements Ramirez.

The ultimate vanguard against STIs, broadly speaking, might well be the adoption of a more universal mindset on the topic, one probably not included during your snicker-peppered high school education: sexual health. That term might sound appallingly simple, but according to the Minnesota Department of Health, it’s a fairly technical term that goes a long way to defeating old, counterproductive patterns of behavior.

“Sexual health is a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity,” the Minnesota Department of Health defines on its website. “Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence.”

That’s not just paste-eating, pocket-protectored, eyeglasses-taped-in-the-middle theory, either; proactive action is sexual health’s core.

“From a holistic perspective, sexual health includes emotional, psychological, physical, intellectual and spiritual dimensions,” continues the MDH’s website. 

It’s easy to forget in these politically correct times that sex is the core of LGBTQ+ people … but in order to keep from being limited by it, damaged by it, even killed by it, a rainbow of upbeat, ongoing diligence is key.

Or as the Minnesota Department of Health puts it: “Integrating sexuality into one’s life in a balanced way is a life-time endeavor.”

health.state.mn.us/diseases/stds/index.html