@Sunny720 thank you for starting this thread. I was diagnosed with HSV2 in Dec. 2017. I thought dating as a black woman before my diagnosis was difficult enough; now I feel like it's almost impossible. Can't bring myself to respond to men showing an interest because I know that I will have to disclose. In addition to fearing their reactions, I worry that they will gossip about my status to others. I can't deal with the judgment that comes along with being open about my status.
I read an article published in 2010 that said according to the CDC, 50% of black women have herpes. 50%. That number sounds ridiculous, but men don't seem go to the doctor as frequently as women and this is especially true for black men. I think a history of racial bias in the medical community, apathy, mens' tendency to go to the doctor only when something is obviously wrong, and financial barriers to healthcare are big factors. That coupled with the fact that we are the demographic that is least likely to date outside our race means we are catching hell because of it. I do not believe that black women and men are any more promiscuous than any other group. We just tend to have the worst health outcomes and the problem is compounded when you are in an insular community.