In life, there’s no shortage of tough yet necessary conversations—from breaking up with someone to laying off an employee to telling your mom you’re not going to make it home for Christmas. One of the worst? Informing a new partner you have a sexually transmitted disease (STD).
We’re not going to sugarcoat it: It’s going to be awkward. But it’s also incredibly important, says Rachel DeAlto, a relationship and communications expert. Allowing sexual desire to overtake our human decency is really not OK, she says.
Fortunately, when done right, having this conversation can open the door to an even more honest and trusting relationship in the long run. And while it may never be an easy talk to have, this advice can help.
6 Tips for the Talk 
1. Yes, you have to tell.
While you don’t need to share your STD status with everyone you go on a date with, you do need to tell anyone you’re going to be getting physical with, says Christan Marashio, writer, dating expert, and creator of And That’s Why You’re Single.
And no, you can’t put it off until after getting busy. While condoms can reduce the risk of passing on an STD, they don’t eliminate the risk completely.
So if there’s a chance of …