Breaking taboos: special exhibition about sexually transmitted diseases in Vienna!

Breaking taboos: special exhibition about sexually transmitted diseases in Vienna!

An exciting special show in the Natural History Museum (NHM) Vienna is dedicated to an often taboo topic: sexually transmitted diseases. The exhibition entitled “Safe Sex” is running in the historic Narrenturm and aims to promote education and the removal of taboos. This initiative aims not only to raise awareness of sexually transmitted diseases (STIs), but also to encourage open dialogue, especially for school classes. As meinkreis.at reports, this special show is an important step in bringing the topic of sexually transmitted diseases into society and freeing it from its dusty image.

The history of STIs is fascinating and tragic at the same time. They have been present since the dawn of humanity, regardless of origin or social status. Famous figures such as Chopin, Napoleon and Nietzsche suffered from syphilis, one of the oldest and most well-known sexually transmitted infections. However, thanks to the discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century, the treatment of such diseases has revolutionized. But today we are seeing an alarming increase in Europe. The numbers speak for themselves: According to the ECDC, cases of gonorrhea have tripled since 2014, while syphilis has doubled. The exhibition will also address current developments in research, particularly the challenges posed by drug resistance.

Current developments and social perception

The WHO estimates that around one million new STI cases are diagnosed in Europe every day. These numbers make it clear that rampant infections such as syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis and HIV are considered the “Big Five” among sexually transmitted diseases due to their high prevalence. What is particularly worrying is that many of these infections are asymptomatic, meaning many sufferers do not even know they are infected. The WHO) reports that the numbers are increasing, particularly among young adults and pregnant women - in 2022, for example, an estimated 1.1 million pregnant women were infected with syphilis, which can lead to massive complications.

This special show also gets to the bottom of social taboos. One of the central messages of the exhibition is that anyone can come into contact with STIs during their life. Some of them, although unpleasant, are essentially harmless, while other diseases can be life-threatening. Early detection and treatment are particularly important here, even if there is no cure for all STIs. As the Federal Ministry of Health explains, the symptoms vary from unusual discharge to pain when urinating to general symptoms of illness. However, there are often no obvious symptoms, highlighting the need for regular testing.

Another important topic in the exhibition is progress in prevention, such as vaccinations against hepatitis B and human papilloma viruses (HPV). These vaccines are already available in over 140 countries and could help significantly reduce common infections. Nevertheless, drug resistance remains a growing problem, making the treatment of STIs increasingly complex. We must rise to the challenge and work together to find solutions to prevent the spread of these diseases and protect the health of future generations.

The “Safe Sex” special show at the NHM Vienna is an impressive example of how important education and discourse are today. With a clear focus on the history, spread and social perception of sexually transmitted diseases, the exhibition paves the way for a necessary dialogue and encourages everyone to speak openly about these issues.