Video Transcription

True or Gammon – STIs with Janty and Jecinta

Hey there, and welcome to True or Gamon, where we’re going to answer all your burning questions about sexually transmitted infections, or STIs. With me is Jinta, all the way from the Northern Territory. She’s a deadly health worker. Jinta knows heaps about STIs. I bet you’ve seen some stuff, Jinta.

So, Jinta, my first question is: The name STI sounds pretty fun—”Pretty fly for an STI,” you know.

So, True or Gamon, are STIs fun to get?

No, that’s absolutely gamon. STIs, or sexually transmitted infections, are infections that are passed from one person to another through sexual contact. It’s a fact of life. They can be very common in young people, but they are not fun—sort of like a comedian that crashes and burns at a standup comedy gig. Not that I’d know anything about that. Anyway…

So, if STIs aren’t fun, how do we know we’ve got them?

Unfortunately, you don’t necessarily see STIs coming, because some people may have no symptoms at all. But STIs are easy to avoid and easy to treat if done early. Woo, that’s a relief!

And the number one tip is to always practice safe sex. Use a condom and lube. It’s kind of like the shield that protects you both. There are a few sneaky ones that can be passed on from skin-to-skin contact outside of the condom, so it’s smart to get tested.

But you know what it’s like when you’re getting hot and heavy, and you’re far from the shops, and you don’t have one on you. Surely just one little time won’t make a difference.

Sex is normal and it’s natural, and sometimes we might not use condoms for all different reasons, and that’s okay—as long as we women take responsibility to get ourselves tested. You may know who you’ve been with, but you might not know who the other person has been with. So, whether it’s a regular partner, a casual hookup, or friends-with-benefits, there’s no shame for us women to carry condoms and be ready. They’re easy to use and are the best way to stop you from getting an STI. And remember, if someone tells you they don’t want to use one, give them fellas the flick!

Is it true or gamon, though, that for some fellas, condoms are way too small?

Okay, that’s scaming for sure. A condom can actually fit almost 4 liters of water—that’s 4 cartons of milk! That’s a lot of milkshake! Uh-huh. And even if he is big, condoms come in different sizes, so we’ve got you covered. If any fellas are telling you a condom won’t fit, tell them they’re gamon.

Okay, there’s definitely some fellas I need to have a word to.

So, next question: Is it true or gamon that you should be regularly checked for STIs, even if you’re feeling deadly?

Definitely true. A lot of people don’t have symptoms or look or feel sick if they have an STI. So, if you’re having sex, it’s smart to get tested every 3 months or when you get a new partner, just to make sure.

Right, so it’s sort of like checking your hair and makeup before you go out the door, so you’re always looking fine.

Uh, yeah, I guess you could say that.

Okay, next question: What do you say if your friends catch you going into the clinic for a checkup and maybe they start spreading gossip saying, “I’m dirty”?

Wow, I don’t know who your friends are, but there is no shame in getting tested for an STI. You should be proud of looking after yourself and your partner—or partners.

What if I—they, I mean someone—noticed something different going on down there?

Stop having sex and don’t wait to get tested. It’s important to be tested and treated as soon as possible. So, talk to your health worker or doctor.

Do you have to, you know, open wide, look inside?

No, not necessarily. Testing is really simple. It’s as easy as a blood test or a quick urine sample or a swab you can often do yourself in the clinic toilet.

But what if someone’s ashamed about it?

True or Gamon—do health workers laugh behind your back when you go and get tested?

Oh, that’s scaming. We’ve seen it all before, and there’s no shame here. It’s our job to keep it private and make you comfortable. It’s just like yarning with your tits—oh, wait, I mean, it’s just like yarning with your friends.

So, is this true or gam— I’ve seen something on the internet that says if you have an STI, you’re dirty and you smell?

That is definitely gamon. STIs can be serious and cause everything from itchiness to lumps, bumps, and SS (sexually transmitted infections). STIs can be in any one of your “holes.” If untreated, some STIs can cause damage to your reproductive system, which might mean you’re not able to have babies. And if you’re pregnant and test positive, make sure you and your partner are both getting treated to prevent risks to you and the baby.

Is it easy to get treated?

Yes, starting treatment as soon as possible is really important. It’s simple—we’ll let you know what medicine you need during the appointment.

Well, that’s pretty easy, I guess.

What’s not so easy is telling your partner that you have an STI. Is it true or gamon you have to tell your partner if you have an STI?

Definitely true. There are ways of doing this. Speak to your health worker, who can contact the person if you’re not comfortable. The health worker or doctor won’t share your information. You could have gotten the STI long before you two started hooking up and not realized it. It doesn’t mean either of you were cheating.

It’s important that we all look out for each other’s health.

Good point, T. But how do we encourage our mob to talk about STIs and not be ashamed of it?

We need to make it normal, and we need to educate our mob about these STIs. Knowledge is key, and we need to empower our women to be having safe sex, getting tested, and feeling strong in our own bodies. There is no shame in staying safe or talking about safe sex to righteous centers.

Now, one more true or gamon: Am I the funniest comedian you’ve ever seen?

Uh, sorry, Jinta. No comment.