Feminism: chat
HPV and female socialisation
JellySlice · 14/06/2021 07:30
^she said: "I felt like it was my fault, that I had done something wrong, because I had HPV."
The MP for Birmingham Yardley, now 39, added: "It's sexually transmitted so there was always this sense that it was somehow my doing and that I could have avoided this."^
Would a man feel this way? Is this actually the old misogynistic "Nice girls don't have sex. You got what you deserve."?
Women get tested for HPV every 3 years. Do men get routinely tested, or is it now women's job to control transmission of HPV?
Jess Phillips: Ditch HPV stigma to avoid the shame I felt www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57438881
WarriorN · 14/06/2021 07:41
Gosh absolutely.
I was never clear but think the cells they found at my smear when I was 22 were due to hpv. At least that's what I could tell from info on what they'd found. I felt ashamed. Not least as id barely had many sexual relationships and nearly always used condoms.
I then had to go for 6 monthly biopsies at the hospital, some worse than others, (one woman consultant was horrid) for several years. And then was told it had gone. I was told they'd probably punch biopsied it away.
However, a few years ago when I described this they said that they now know what I had was normal for my age and the biopsies unnecessary.
I'm glad they were monitoring me but I victim blamed myself. Which ever partner gave it to me, if that was the case had no idea.
Whether or not I had hpv, I certainly felt the shame.
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