Apologies for the long story, but I thought I should share with this community. I'm 26, male, and have been diagnosed with HSV-2 since my bloodwork came back in January. Thankfully, I was quick to accept it and got a daily acyclovir prescription after butting heads and changing doctors (my first post here). I knew dating would be different for me, though, so I took a big leap today in disclosing to a potential long-term partner.

We recently matched on Tinder and went on a couple of fun dates. She's really into me, so I thought being honest and upfront with her about my condition was the right thing to do, as well as showing that I take it seriously and can be trusted. We communicate through Snapchat for now, so I messaged her about my HSV-2, how long I've had it, what I've done to address it, how common it is, and how little it has affected my daily life (asymptomatic for me, on top of no health problems overall). She was very understanding, recognized the importance of using protection and of me taking my daily medication, appreciated my honesty, and asked questions about it and my prior history. We decided soon after that we really enjoyed being with each other and started an exclusive relationship!

To clarify, I'm not especially extroverted or smooth when talking with people. I was really nervous starting to write out my revelation to her, having also read disappointing accounts of male carriers of HSV-1 or 2 having sparse luck after disclosing to female partners/prospective partners. I also haven't had a serious relationship in 7 years and have struck out many times since then, so the usual sense of dread there also loomed. So I had everything working against me here. But I got more confident as I typed and figured, "It'll hurt if she says no, but she's only one person of many, at the end of the day." Overall, I think it does largely depend on the person you're disclosing to, as well as being transparent and knowledgeable of your condition. At any rate, I hope this lifts some people up today and helps show that love is definitely possible after diagnosis and disclosure. Thanks for reading!