Before the next date... Let's talk testing.

BEFORE YOU GOnDATE, LET MEnASK YOU SOMETHING.nASKED ABOUTnTHEIR JOB.nYOU ASKED ABOUTnTHEIR FINANCES, HOWnHOW MUCH THEY'REnTHE TABLE.nYOU ASKED WHETHERnTHEY HAVE CHILDREN,nHOW MANY, RIGHT?nYOU MIGHT EVENnASK THEM ABOUTnTHEIR ZODIAC SIGN.nARE YOU AnLEO, LIBRA, GEMINI?nBUT DID YOUnASK WHEN WASnTHE LAST TIMEnYOU WERE TESTEDnFOR HIV ANDnOTHER SEXUALnTRANSMITTED INFECTIONS?nDID YOU ASKnTHAT QUESTION YET?nLISTEN, WHETHER YOUnARE DATING AGAIN,nAFTER A BREAKUP,nAFTER DIVORCE, ORnLONG HEALING JOURNEYnLIKE MYSELF, THISnCONVERSATION NEEDS TOnHAPPEN BEFORE INTIMACY.nTHAT'S RIGHT.nOUT LOUD.nBEFORE YOU GETnINVOLVED, MINGLING TOGETHERnTO BEnCHECKED OFF.nAND IN OURnMELANIN COMMUNITY, WEnHAVE TO BECOMEnMORE COMFORTABLE TALKINGnABOUT OURnSEXUAL HEALTH!nWE NEED TOnLIKE WE'RE DRINKINGnCOFFEE OR HAVINGnA PIECEnOF CAKE.nASKING SOMEONE ABOUTnTHEIR STATUS ISnNOT ACCUSING THEMnOF ANYTHING.nDON'T FEEL LIKEnTHOSE TYPEnIT ISnNOT DISRESPECTFUL.nIT SHOULD NOTnBE EMBARRASSING BECAUSEnWE'RE TALKING ABOUTnGROWN RELATIONSHIP.nIT IS CALLEDnPROTECTING YOURSELF ANDnPROTECTING EACH OTHERnBY BEING VULNERABLEnENOUGH TO ASKnSENSITIVE QUESTIONS.nAND DON'T JUSTnASK THEM, KNOWnYOUR OWN STATUS TOO.nYOU CAN EVENnTESTED TOGETHER.nYOU CAN WALKnINTO THAT CLINICnTESTED TOGETHER.nIF WE CAN HAVE CONVERSATION ABOUTnMONEY, MARRIAGE, CHILDREN,nCAREERS, AND RELATIONSHIP,nAND EXPECTATION OFnWHAT WE'RE LOOKINGnFOR, THEN WEnCAN HAVE MATUREnCONVERSATION ABOUT HIVnAND OTHER STIS.nWE NEED TOnHAVE THIS CONVERSATIONnIN 2026.nTHAT IS NOTnBEING DIFFICULT.nTHAT IS NOTnBEING PARANOID.nTHAT IS SELFnLOVE, RESPONSIBILITY, ANDnGROWN UP DATING.nTHAT'S WHAT WEnCALL THIS.nSO LET'S KEEPnOUR RELATIONSHIP REAL.nWHEN WAS THEnLAST TIME YOUnGOT TESTED YOURSELF?nLAST TIME YOUnGOT TESTED YOURSELF?nI, FOR MYSELF,nI GOT TESTEDnFOR THIS YEAR.nWE OURSELVES.nSELF LOVE ANDnSELF CARE MEANSnWE ARE GOINGnTO ASK A REAL QUESTION.nALWAYS INSPIRED BY BELSAnHAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY AND GOD BLESS YOU.