Eileen Kelly—writer, Vogue contributor, and host of Going Mental—is shedding light on a medical mystery too many sexually active people face. She says that it starts like a thousand other things do in sexual health, describing the burning, bladder pain, and sleepless nights that doctors dismissed as normal. Kelly’s own digging led to Ureaplasma, a microscopic bacterium rarely screened for, yet capable of wreaking havoc. She explained, “Ureaplasma isn’t technically an STI, but it can be sexually transmitted…It’s not considered harmful—until it is.”
Dr. Angelish Kumar, a urologist, told Kelly, “These bacteria can exist without causing any problems… but in some, they trigger pain.” Pelvic pain specialist Dr. Sonia Bahlani (Bah-Lanee) added, “When something doesn’t fit neatly into a box, patients often get dismissed.” Kelly’s infection lingered for months until both she and her partner were treated. Her takeaway? “Ask about Ureaplasma and Mycoplasma—the bacteria no one’s testing for, but too many of us are living with.” For queer and trans viewers who already navigate medical bias, Kelly’s message hits home: sometimes, to heal, you have to fight to be heard.
