Slate Advice Column Addresses Concerns Over New Genital Spots in a Casual Relationship
A reader of Slate’s 'How to Do It' column reports noticing new brown spots on their casual partner’s genitals, raising concerns about potential genital warts. The partner dismissed the observation, claiming he saw nothing when checking himself, and did not answer the reader’s question about when he last had a sexual health check. The columnist advises the reader to continue the conversation, noting that warts typically have a raised texture unlike freckles, and to pause sexual activity until the partner provides negative test results. The advice emphasizes self-advocacy and the high contagiousness of HPV, while noting that screening can identify precancerous cells.