By Kasandra Brabaw, Refinery29
It should be common knowledge that being sexually active (including anal or oral sex) means you'll need to be tested for sexually transmitted infections. But for many reasons, a lot of people don't do it — or at least not nearly as often as they should.
[post_ads]That's why campaigns aimed to show how easy getting tested actually is are so important. But talking about peeing in a cup can be pretty boring, so some campaigns are getting creative.
Take, for example, the Australian LGBT Health organization ACON, which created a hilarious video featuring one of the country's most famous drag queens, Maxi Shield.
Shield makes her way, step-by-step, through a doctor's visit during which she gets tested for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and other STIs. She gives a urine sample, a rectal swab, a throat swab, and a blood sample.
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The video is full of little nuggets of Maxi Shield's personal brand of sexual and potty humor — like when a health care provider sticks her finger for a blood test ("ooh, I wonder if he's tired of the little prick jokes") or when she's filling out the check-in form that asks how many sexual partners she's had in the last year ("I suppose I better count the taxi drivers...").
The video is full of little nuggets of Maxi Shield's personal brand of sexual and potty humor — like when a health care provider sticks her finger for a blood test ("ooh, I wonder if he's tired of the little prick jokes") or when she's filling out the check-in form that asks how many sexual partners she's had in the last year ("I suppose I better count the taxi drivers...").
Experts find that many people avoid getting tested even though they know they should because they're scared of getting a positive result or because they're unsure of what exactly goes into getting tested.
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The American Sexual Health Association confirms that getting tested actually is as easy as the video claims — and in many cases it's actually easier. While Shield gave every possible kind of sample a clinic might need, it's likely that your doctor won't ask for all four, and it can often be done in your annual check up.
The American Sexual Health Association confirms that getting tested actually is as easy as the video claims — and in many cases it's actually easier. While Shield gave every possible kind of sample a clinic might need, it's likely that your doctor won't ask for all four, and it can often be done in your annual check up.
