Lukas Gage is opening up about finding out he had contracted two sexually transmitted diseases while in what he thought was an exclusive relationship.
“It was a double whammy. It wasn’t that I was in an opposition to having a monogamous relationship, it was just not talked about,” The White Lotus star shared with the New York Post. “It really kind of freaked me out and sent me into a spiral.”
His partner at the time – who he did not name – allegedly stuck to the story that he did not cheat on him.
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“He was very much sticking to the lie, until I went to the doctor who laughed at me as soon as I pulled down my pants and said, ‘That’s an STD,’” Lukas continued.
Now, he’s committing to “do anything I can to protect myself, whether or not I’m in a relationship. That certain situation really was the thing that pushed me into being extra cautious. Since then, even regardless of the status of the relationship, I’ve been consistent with the three month rule [to test for STIs].”
“It doesn’t matter if you’re single, in a relationship, somewhere in between. I think having that awareness and that protection, that knowledge, is the way that we don’t have to live in fear and have anxiety,” he continued.
“No one’s perfect. People make mistakes. I’ve been the person who was the cheater too,” Lukas said. “I think the most important thing to do would be to be honest about it and be forthcoming.”
Lukas said that both STIs were treatable and he now takes a pre-exposure prophylaxis treatment (commonly known as PrEP), which helps prevent HIV transmission.
Lukas recently spoke out about a different issue.
Source: justjared.com