STI testing is seriously lagging in New Zealand. According to a Project Gender survey, 90% of straight men aren’t getting regular STI checks. Wild, right? But women, we’re not exactly acing it either. Only 40% of us are getting tested regularly, which means a lot of people could be going around with undiagnosed STIs. So yeah, it’s time to make sexual health checks a little less taboo and a lot more normal.
In the early weeks of dating her partner of two years, Tracey* told him she had a recent sexual health check and asked him to do the same. She says it’s safe to say they started their relationship with peace of mind while building a strong level of trust from the get-go.
Talking about sexual health is undoubtedly not the sexiest of conversations, but it’s an important one.
With “several hot singles in your area” – as these dating apps would like you to believe – finding a connection with multiple people is highly likely.
Until you DTR (define the relationship) and agree to be exclusive, it would be naive to think the person you’ve been DM-ing for a month now isn’t seeing other people.
Let me be clear here: There’s absolutely nothing wrong with exploring your sexuality but having honest and judgement-free conversations around sexual health checks should go hand-in-hand.
Unfortunately, it’s still not the norm.
The STI Testing Gap Between Straight Men and Women
Social change agency Project Gender, alongside Adult Toy MegaStore, surveyed 1,518 New Zealanders about their sexual health as part of a social media campaign late last year.
The data found 90% of straight men aren’t getting tested on a regular basis.
(!!!!)
AND only more than half of them (53%) have ever been tested in their life.
Women aren’t in the clear either, with only four out of 10 of us getting tested regularly.
There’s no doubt the gap between straight men and women who get regular STI checks is large. It’s even larger for those aged over 35, with 36% of women getting regularly tested, compared with 7% of straight men.
Had of research at Project Gender Tania Domett says many men could be walking around with undiagnosed STIs.
Not to scare you or anything, but New Zealand has some of the highest STI rates in the OECD — with syphilis cases on the rise and chlamydia rates remaining high.
“If men aren’t testing, they aren’t getting treated, and they’re unknowingly spreading infections. We urgently need to make STI testing a normal, expected part of everyone’s health routine,” says Tania.
Sexual Health Stigma is Holding Us Back
It’s not as easy as it sounds though. Respondents from the same research have reported avoiding getting check-ups because of the stigma – with 25% of them who tested positive in the past reported having been shamed by someone.
Understandably, it is an extremely difficult conversation to have, not just with your sexual partner but also your GP or a stranger at a sexual health clinic.
Laying bare even just a smidge of the details of your sex life to anyone is undoubtedly anxiety-inducing.
But the stigma on sexual health chats shouldn’t be a barrier to getting regular testing.
There are more discreet options now like EttieKits, an at-home STI testing kit with four single-uses rapid tests that can screen for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and herpes.
Tania, who’s also EttieKits co-founder, says this makes it easier for people to take control of their sexual health.
“New Zealand’s rates are too high and we won’t bring them down unless we make screening and testing a regular part of life,” says Tania.
So to all our sexually active straight dudes and ladies, if you’re reading this, know there’s no shame in getting an STI check! You can even do it in the comfort of your own home now.
(And ladies, share this with all the straight dudes and gals you know. 🫶🏼)
*Tracey has asked us to use a different name for privacy reasons.
