hello! i’m TAYLOR
But you can call me Tay. And I’m the voice behind Dating With Herpes.
Like many people, I never imagined that three small letters, HSV, would shape the way I saw myself, my relationships, and even the way I love.
I was diagnosed with HSV-1 in my late twenties.
Not through anything wild or careless, but from something incredibly ordinary.
I had a small cold sore on my lip after borrowing a friend’s lip balm during a long weekend trip. At first, I thought it was a sunburn. A few days later, I learned it was herpes.
At that moment, I didn’t know what to think.
I had always associated herpes with stigma and silence, not with something that could happen so casually, through a simple act of trust.
That’s what hurt the most: not the diagnosis, but the realization that something so common could still feel so isolating.
why i write?
For a long time, I didn’t talk about it.
I covered my outbreaks, avoided questions, and quietly carried the shame that so many of us are taught to feel.
But when I finally started reading real stories, from people on Reddit and support communities, I realized how many others were living the same experience.
Different stories, same emotions: guilt, fear, and the need to be understood.
That’s why I created Dating With Herpes, a space to replace silence with connection, and fear with understanding.
Here, I share stories that remind us that herpes doesn’t make us unworthy.
Sometimes, healing starts with just a few words and a “Dear Taylor…”
how did I find out I had HSV-1?
My own experience began innocently.
A weekend getaway, laughter with friends, shared drinks, and lip balm. A few days later, I noticed a tingling feeling on my lip, something small but unfamiliar.
When my doctor told me it was HSV-1, I remember feeling two things at once: confusion and relief.
Confusion because I didn’t know it could happen this way.
Relief because it finally had a name, and because it wasn’t the end of anything.
Over time, I realized how many people live with HSV-1. It’s everywhere: in families, friendships, and relationships. Often passed through something as simple as a kiss or a shared utensil.
That’s what inspired me to write. To show that it’s not a scarlet letter; it’s just part of being human.
