Oh my dear fellow fabulous readers, I’ve got some exciting and very inspiring news. :))
I don’t spend a lot of time on social media, which is excellent for my mental health, but the trade off is that sometimes I miss out on amazing things that are going on in the world.
Last week, while researching for the blog, I came across an article that highlighted some influencers on Tik Tok that were being open and transparent about having herpes, with the intention of dissolving the stigma! SAY WHA????
I hired someone to help me with compiling this article and the stories she found were incredible. I am blown away by the strength, courage, and vulnerability of these beautiful people and HAD to share this update with you!
Hopefully by checking out what these awesome people are doing, it will help you to feel normal and help you to release any shame or other icky negative feelings and labels that the ridiculous stigma has created for you.
Without further ado, here are our heroes – the herpes influencers!
*All stats below are current as of August 2022
7 Herpes Influencers You Need to Know About
In 2021, Suzanna Elzbieta, better known as Elzbieta or Suzbub, started posting videos on TikTok as a form of therapy and her way of regaining self-confidence..
With 232,4000 followers on TikTok and 4.2 million likes in total, Elzbieta shares videos educating others about herpes and giving tips for those with the condition. In addition, she continues to challenge the stigma around herpes by showcasing ways to achieve normalcy while managing outbreaks.
Although some negative peeps try to throw shade against Elzbieta and her advocacy, she remains positive and will occasionally call out their ignorance. Still, she encourages those with herpes to love themselves and know they are supported.
Here is a B-R-I-L-L-I-A-N-T example of her publicly calling out healthcare workers who are posting shame-inducing content on social media. 🔥🔥🔥
For a trans man to have herpes, the discrimination is even worse, as you can imagine. This was the case when Chase Cramer sought medical help for the excruciating pain he was suffering from. Weeks after this painful experience, he was diagnosed with genital herpes.
What he went through was proof of how knowing you have the herpes virus can be worse than actually having it in the first place!
Fear of living with a “permanent disease” and the horrible treatment we sometimes get from people that are supposed to help us, are more than enough to take a toll on our mental health.
For these reasons, Chase Cramer became adamant that he would use his ability to create content to educate and support those hiding in the shame of herpes.
Today, he has 227,300 followers on TikTok with 7.6 million likes. He uses the platform to teach people about all sorts of helpful things.
TikTok influencer and personal trainer Christopher Pickering uses his platform to answer questions and share tons of content related to the herpes virus. I especially love his content that targets the stigma B.S. being promoted in shows like 2 Broke Girls and the movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
His videos cover all sorts of information, and he actively inspires other men to start their own pages about herpes. Along with other influencers and content creators, Christopher also advocates against misogyny towards women with herpes. (Thank you, Christopher!)
Watch Christopher blast through the herpes stigma in this video, which currently has over 5.7 MILLION views!
Ella Dawson is a social media manager and sex writer who uses her blog to produce detailed content about herpes and fluid sexuality. Think of her as the Carrie Bradshaw of this generation.
After finding out she had the herpes virus, Ella used her talent as a writer to encapsulate her experiences and put it all together in her book, “Life Ruiner.” In addition, she gave an enlightening Tedx Talk about the herpes stigma in 2016 which currently has over 828K views on YouTube.
Ella expands her influence to her 10,400 followers on Instagram and continues to share her journey with her readers and podcast listeners.
- Adrial Dale
“My life is over.” Those were the words that came out of Adrial Dale’s mind when he received his herpes diagnosis back in 2005.
His main thought was that nobody would love a person with herpes. It was an isolating, depressing experience that, unfortunately, remains a common fear among many.
But Adrial turned his experience into a journey that continues to inspire people with herpes. When he got the support he needed, he began to brush off the stigma and continue to live his life.
Eventually, he got married, had a child, and became the founder of Herpes Opportunity, where he shares valuable information and leads a private community. I’ve mentioned it in other posts and if you haven’t checked it out yet, please do! It very well may be the most encouraging, uplifting website on the internet about herpes. : )
And, I have to say, alongside Ella Dawson, he is one of the first people that I came across years ago that were putting themselves out there and being transparent about having the herpes virus.
He might even be the original Herpes Influencer. His uploaded his first video about herpes on YouTube in 2011! He has lots of videos you can check out on his YouTube channel. Including this one, “Herpes Facts”:
- Courtney Brame
While dietary changes and antivirals can manage the physical stuff with the herpes virus, it’s the effect on our mental health that can be the most difficult to handle. Courtney Brame recognized this reality as he encountered a lot of people who have had suicidal thoughts and depression after receiving their diagnoses.
In response, Courtney became a strong advocate of mental health wellness for those with herpes and other conditions. He founded Something Positive for Positive People, a nonprofit organization. He’s also hosting a podcast with the same name.
- Jenelle Marie Price
When Jenelle Marie Price was diagnosed with herpes, she was dissatisfied with the formality of the information being distributed, most of which was within the confines of clinical pamphlets and the doctor’s office.
As with other influencers and famous people who have herpes, Jennelle believes that bringing the conversation to the public and being more vocal and unashamed about the condition will eventually break the stigma.
This is why she founded The STI Project to empower those with STIs and provide a platform to talk about their conditions.
(Although some of us didn’t get the herpes virus from having sex, so it’s not technically an “STI”, I’m including Jenelle here for those that will resonate with her and appreciate her message and work.)
Final Thoughts
I hope reading about these awesome people has not only brightened your day, but also helped you to clear any residual shame the (stupid) stigma has created for you, because you are a beautiful, normal person! There is nothing wrong with you!
If you’re on social media, I encourage you to follow them, watch Adrial’s videos, and maybe even join his Herpes Opportunity community if you feel guided.
Just remember that you are not alone and you have nothing to be ashamed of! The tide is finally turning for us. There is a growing number of people who are willing to speak up and tell the world that herpes is really not a big deal.
So let’s ride this stigma-busting wave of positivity into a bright new future!
UPDATE: I found more herpes influencers on TikTok!! Check them out!!
Shana Singleton // @herpesgoddess
Alexandra // @lifewithherpes
Emily Krogsboel // @emilykrogsboel
Lauren Michelle // @bubblieinblue