SPFPP Episode 152: Beyond Your Safe Space - A Call to Men with HSV

Dave shares with us his experience being diagnosed with genital HSV2 9 months prior to this recording. His partner shared with him that she'd been positive for more than 20 years, they took precautions and he experienced his first outbreak after their first time having intercourse together.

Dave and I discussed before that the convo could get heavy so I checked in throughout the recording as he shared some vulnerable pieces of himself from having narcissistic parents and the connection that has to him seeking dominatrixes and overall more emotionally abusive and controlling women as partners. We touch on prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate) and some of the shame that comes with the symptoms of it. I had this as a result of chlamydia, he may have developed it from being pegged by a partner, and yet there's still a hint of shame there we can sense as he speaks to the symptoms of the pain, erectile dysfunction and trouble urinating.

I am proud of Dave for stepping up and sharing his experience and know his vulnerability will keep the future dudes who agree to record a podcast from ghosting me when our time to record comes. Literally the only people who've ghosted me have been straight dudes when it comes to this podcast.