Itchy, uncomfortable, taboo. The silent struggle that does not get enough talk — We’re here to blow it wide open for a hot minute. Let’s start with a story, shall we? One that completely threw me off guard and made me open my eyes to a serious realization.
I grew up with access to sexual education, so I’ve been well aware since I was young about what sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are, how they spread, what some of the most common types are, and what symptoms to look out for. Armed with knowledge, I was convinced that if I ever found myself in a situation where I contracted a vaginal infection, I would be prepared.
Except that, when it happened, I had no idea of how to deal with it, nor what I was even working with.
It came seemingly out of the blue. I noticed vaginal discharge that was thicker than normal, I was inflamed, and the itch was unbearable. I didn’t have a sexual partner, and I hadn’t done anything differently that could serve as an explanation for that infection. It dawned on me how little I actually knew, how unprepared I was, how uncomfortable, intimidated, and frankly scared I felt, but most of all how confusing it was to navigate the situation.
Only one thing was clear — I was dealing with some sort of vaginitis. There are plenty of different causes for this; the most common of which are bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, and viral vaginitis, which may be caused by viruses like herpes or human papillomavirus (HPV). While I looked at my healthcare options to see what support I could find to deal with my infection, I turned to the internet and tried to research as much as possible about what my mystery ailment could be, as one usually does I suppose.
I did not have a doctor contact in Canada that could potentially point me in the right direction, nor did I know where to go to get my infection checked — this in itself was extremely frustrating, but that is another can of worms for another day. Ultimately, I was able to fortunately get medical advice on how to approach my specific situation as it progressed. I was informed the vagina has means of reestablishing balance and clearing some mild infections out on its own. However, if I did not see any improvement within one week, then I would need to find a doctor urgently.
I was lucky. It was gone without a trace within a week, but the scare itself left a lasting impression on me and made me open my eyes to a pressing issue. I am convinced that even in the big 2026, infections related to the vagina, and dare I say for the penis as well, do not get enough visibility.
The fact that navigating this experience was confusing for me is, in my eyes, an indicator that there are likely many more people in the same situation as I. STIs and vaginal infections can share similar symptoms, and yet, neither get talked about nearly as much as I think they should.
A survey conducted by HealthyWomen highlighted the lack of awareness related to STIs, mentioning that eight in 10 people surveyed felt uncomfortable asking about STIs to their healthcare providers. Chlamydia is the most common STI in Canada,with over 300 in every 100,000 people infected. And genital herpes affects 51.4 per cent of healthy adults in Canada. The numbers suggest that STIs may be more common than you think!
The Tyee shared how despite bacterial vaginosis being estimated to affect one in four people with vaginas, it is an infection that is not yet well understood. In my case, it was only until I was afflicted with an infection myself that I found myself trying to connect with someone that had gone through something similar to find guidance, tips, reassurance — anything. In fact, I had never heard someone mention anything about STIs openly until I was about to write this article and shared the idea. To me, this is concerning. Although the topic can be awkward and uncomfortable, it is important and it deserves to have a louder voice.
Regrettably, to this day I still do not know what kind of infection I contracted, but I promised myself I would never forget the lesson learned: tackle the yucky conversation, spread awareness, contribute to this topic’s visibility and be open about it. I strongly believe the confusion I went through could have been avoided if the topic weren’t so taboo and had more people talking about it more often. So now, I want to do my part and help other people feel less uncomfortable, lost, and confused when faced with a similar situation. It’s common, it’s human, and it happens.
