In this episode, Hannah is joined by Ella Dawson, who is Ella is a sex and culture critic who digs into topics we usually avoid in polite company. Ella discusses herpes - how common herpes is, how recent the stigma around herpes is, and also how sex-positive sex education can talk about STIs in a way that doesn’t exacerbate STI stigma. Ella and Hannah also talk about how talking to sexual partners about your herpes and STI status can create greater intimacy and vulnerability, leading to deeper connections and actually better sex, and how conversations that change how we think about herpes are crucial to end the stigma, shame, and fear. CW: discussion of toxic relationships and unhealthy power dynamics MORE ABOUT ELLA DAWSON Ella Dawson is a sex and culture critic who drinks too much Diet Coke. In her writing, Ella digs into topics we usually avoid in polite company: from our dehumanizing culture of casual sex, to how shame keeps us silent about our mental and sexual health. Her short fiction has been published in six erotica collections, and she is currently working on her first romance novel. Find her on Twitter, Instagram and Patreon as @brosandprose. - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brosandprose/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/brosandprose - Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/brosandprose 📝CHECK OUT THE SHOWNOTES AND TRANSCRIPT📝 https://doingitpodcast.co.uk ✨CONNECT WITH US ✨ https://www.instagram.com/doingitpodcast https://twitter.com/doingitpodcast 👀WANT EARLY & AD-FREE ACCESS TO EPISODES?👀 https://www.patreon.com/hannahwitton ✏️SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER✏️ http://bit.ly/HannahWittonsNewsletter