In this eye-opening episode, we sit down with Lena, a passionate queer social worker and sexuality educator, who is on a mission to create transformative spaces that empower and inspire. Lena brings a wealth of knowledge and personal experiences to the table, having dedicated her career to designing inclusive sexuality education that addresses pleasure, power, protection, and intimacy, with a focus on the queer and disabled communities.
Our conversation delves into the complex and often misunderstood realm of navigating emotions and fears after receiving a positive diagnosis. Lena shares common misconceptions, myths, and stigmas associated with STIs, shedding light on the importance of dispelling these barriers to foster understanding and empathy.
We explore practical ways to reduce the stigma surrounding positive diagnoses and discuss the critical role of education in breaking down societal taboos. Lena offers advice on building and maintaining healthy relationships post-diagnosis, emphasizing the need for open communication, trust, and mutual support.
Lena also discusses legality and infidelity, unpacking the complexities and challenges faced by individuals navigating relationships in the wake of an STI diagnosis.
Join us as Lena takes us on a journey through her work as a sexuality professional in this thought-provoking episode that challenges preconceptions, encourages compassion, and empowers individuals to navigate intimacy and relationships with grace, even in the face of a positive diagnosis.
In this episode, we discuss the following:
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Common misconceptions, myths, and stigmas associated with STIs
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Navigating emotions/fears after receiving a positive diagnosis
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How we can reduce stigma
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How to build and maintain healthy relationships after receiving a positive diagnosis
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Legal considerations/obligations
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Infidelity
You can find Lena here: @lenapeak | lenapeak.com
Please support Lena’s foundation of choice: St. Louis Queer Support Helpline is an organization that works towards a world in which queer people (and all people) are powerful, have autonomy over the narrative of our lives, and are free to form liberated, non-hierarchical relationships with others in community. They aim to combat interlocking systems of oppression to radically reimagine an anti-carceral, community-based, queer-centered mental health system, using a trauma-informed, margins-to-center approach.