Everyone has a story, we're here to listen.
EVERYONE HAS A STORY
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WE ARE HERE TO LISTEN
Adam's Story
My family is very religious and for us, premarital sex is not only a sin but a dishonor to your family. But for me, sex is about trust, comfort, and intimacy. Recently, I found someone I felt comfortable having sex with. As premarital sex was not a conversation in my house or school, I never understood the importance of wearing protection, so I didn't think to wear a condom. The other day my crotch felt weird, and I noticed some sores starting to form on my penis. I knew it was something I should get checked out, but I didn't know where to go to get tested. My aunt is my primary care physician and I was terrified to tell her that I had been having sex.
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After looking around online for resources, I came across Gnosis condoms. I loved that I could take control of the situation and self-check. After putting it on, the condom changed color, reaffirming to me that something was not right. Still needing a place to seek treatment, I reached out to the Gnosis team and they were happy to help me find a place where I felt safe and supported!
I am thankful that Gnosis encouraged me to seek the help I needed to get in order to take care of my body and protect others as well.
"The Gnosis workshop I went to gave me the tools and confidence to make healthy decisions about my sexual health." - Jordan
Jamie's Story
When I was traveling alone I slept with a guy who told me that he hated using condoms. I totally didn't know him but yet I went along with it against my better judgment. The next morning I freaked out because I wanted to get tested but didn't know where to go. I was traveling alone by train, so I couldn't even get to many of the clinics I found online and I don't have health insurance.
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I felt helpless, ashamed and alone...
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...until I found a Gnosis workshop at the nearby college campus. After attending one of the workshops, I learned that there are many different places I can go to for STI checking. This experience taught me to practice safe sex, no matter how much I'm are peer pressured not to. And it's never cool to encourage someone else to make a decision they're not comfortable with. Beyond that, Gnosis validated my experience and made me feel supported and a lot less alone throughout the entire process.
Charlie's Story
I didn't really learn about STIs in school during sex ed. After I started hearing more and more stories about STIs, I realized that I know nothing about them. I was ashamed and felt like everyone knew what was going on except me. This feeling was only exacerbated by my recent diagnosis with a STI. The doctor kept saying a lot of complex and intimidating terms to me about my own body, and I felt like it was my fault that I didn't understand. My doctor recommended I attend a Gnosis workshop to learn more about sexually transmitted infections and my diagnosis. They explained things on my level and made sure that I actually understood. The better you understand STIs, the less scary they become.
Taylor's Story
During my junior year of college, I met this gorgeous man at the bar. After a couple of drinks and some dancing, we went home together. We had great consensual sex but were too drunk to use a condom. A few days later, he called to tell me that he had a STI. The worst part was that I felt like I couldn't talk about this with anyone, especially not with my friends. But I knew that I had to get tested, so I worked up the courage to make the appointment. The test ended up being super easy and quick, and I immediately felt more in control of my health. Before I left, the nurse told me about an upcoming Gnosis workshop and encouraged me to attend.
Even before knowing the results of my test, Gnosis empowered me to love my body regardless of the outcome.
Through a combination of facts, personal stories and confidence-building activities, the workshops strengthened my relationship with my sexual health. Looking forward to attending another workshop soon!
Alex and Jack's Story
Jack and I had been dating for a year before we found out that I had a STI. At first, I was terrified to tell him because I thought that he would think differently of me. But he is my partner and I didn't want to keep this from him, especially because it affects his health as well. A friend of mine suggested I talk to the Gnosis team about what I was going through, and they gave me tools to help me start the conversation. Consensual sex is a two-way street, so I told Jack what was going on.
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At first, he was freaked out but wanted to be supportive, so we sat down together to learn more about my diagnosis. We recognized the gaps in our knowledge and sought out a Gnosis workshop. Going through this together has strengthened our relationship and our trust in each other. An STI diagnosis can be scary, but with Gnosis it doesn't have to be.
Check
Yo
Self!
"I loved getting to see how the Gnosis condoms worked. Seeing the instant color-change was amazing and definitely a highlight of the workshop for me." - Bailey
