News
STIs Don’t Care What Gender You Are
Think STIs only affect certain people? Think again. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can affect anyone, whatever their gender, sexuality, race or religion.
If you’re in a same-sex relationship, there’s still a risk of catching an STI through sexual contact or by sharing sex toys. Unless you know your partner’s sexual health status, there’s always a chance of infection.
One of the most common STIs is chlamydia. The tricky part? It often has no symptoms, meaning many people don’t realise they have it. Left untreated, chlamydia can cause serious health problems, including Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), which can affect the womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries. The good news is that it’s usually easy to treat with antibiotics.
Started seeing someone new? One of the best ways to protect yourself and your partner is to get an STI test and encourage them to do the same. Testing is quick, free and easy. You can get tested at your GP, a sexual health clinic, or use a self-test kit available from pharmacies and online.
Most STIs can be treated, especially when they’re found early. Sexual health services can also help inform partners anonymously if needed, helping to stop infections spreading further.
Find out more about STI testing and other sexual health services, including PrEP to help prevent against HIV, on our website:
- STI testing
- STI information
- Prevention Hub
- PrEP – to prevent HIV
- What to do if you’ve had unprotected (condomless) sex
You can even test at home for some STIs, free self-test kits are available for Devon residents via My Devon Sexual Health. Find out more on our self-test page.