History Main / KarmicSTD

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12355498/9/Death-of-the-Wrong-Boy Death of the Wrong Boy]]'', after spending most of [[Literature/HarryPotter Harry's]] life [[ParentalNeglect neglecting]] him, [[ParentalFavoritism favoring]] his twin brother, and eventually [[IHaveNoSon disowning him]], it's revealed that [[RonTheDeathEater James Potter and Sirius Black]] have contacted many, ''many'' [=STDs=] due to years of [[YourCheatingHeart sexual]] [[ReallyGetsAround promiscuity]].

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12355498/9/Death-of-the-Wrong-Boy Death of the Wrong Boy]]'', after spending most of [[Literature/HarryPotter Harry's]] life [[ParentalNeglect neglecting]] him, [[ParentalFavoritism favoring]] his twin brother, and eventually [[IHaveNoSon disowning him]], it's revealed that [[RonTheDeathEater James Potter and Sirius Black]] have contacted many, ''many'' [=STDs=] due to years [[YourCheatingHeart sexual]] [[ReallyGetsAround promiscuity]].

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12355498/9/Death-of-the-Wrong-Boy Death of the Wrong Boy]]'', after spending most of [[Literature/HarryPotter Harry's]] life [[ParentalNeglect neglecting]] him, [[ParentalFavoritism favoring]] his twin brother, and eventually [[IHaveNoSon disowning him]], it's revealed that [[RonTheDeathEater James Potter and Sirius Black]] have contacted many, ''many'' [=STDs=] due to years sexual promiscuity.

* Played absolutely straight on ''Series/MyNameIsEarl'': Earl wishes to make amends with his ex-girlfriend Natalie, with whom he had broken up by faking his death (in order to avoid hurting her feelings.) Her ''new'' boyfriend, Dirk, decides to emulate Earl and fake *his* own death, and hang out at the motel with a prostitute. Due to the lack of condom machines, he uses motel-issue shower caps instead. Eventually, Natalie discovers his deception and presents him with his Karmic Comeuppance.

* On ''Series/MyNameIsEarl'', Earl goes to see an old girlfriend of his, because he faked his death to get out of a relationship with her that he felt was getting too serious, too fast, in a well-intentioned (but misguided) attempt to avoid hurting her feelings. When Earl comes to see her, she has a ''new'' boyfriend named Dirk, who then gets the idea to do exactly what Earl did, and hides out at the motel with a prostitute. He doesn't have any condoms, so he uses a motel-issue shower cap as a substitute. When Natalie (with some help from Earl) learns to stand up for herself, she dumps Dirk and opens up an art gallery for her papier-mache art. Later, she comes to the motel with a letter in her hand, as she is still getting mail addressed to Dirk at her address. It's from the clinic, and it notifies him that he's been infected with an STD...and it's implied that the notice also tells him that the unnamed prostitute is pregnant by him.

Sexually-transmitted infections and diseases are a serious thing and there are many ways to get them in real life. In fiction however, they rarely ever come up. But when they ''do'', it's rarely the "good guys" who get them.

Sexually-transmitted infections and diseases are a serious thing and there are many ways to get them in real life. In fiction, they rarely ever come up. When they ''do'', it's rarely the "good guys" who get them.

Characters often contract [=STDs=] (usually the more dangerous types) as a "punishment" if they're villainous. For example, a rapist or murderer who ends up with HIV.

In older works this is often used as a form of SlutShaming. Promiscuous and oftentimes gay characters were "[[DefiledForever bad]]", so to punish them they ended up with syphilis, AIDS, or some other sexually-transmitted illness. This variation is rarely used anymore, but it will occasionally pop up.

* In ''Literature/{{Dune}}: House Atreides'', Reverend Mother Mohiam was sent to [[StalkerWithATestTube conceive a daughter with Baron Harkonnen]] and he drugs and violently rapes her, as revenge she infects him with a disfiguring STD.

* In the ''Series/Babylon5'' episode [[Recap/BabylonFiveS02E18ConfessionsAndLamentations Confessions and Lamentations]], a ship of the Markab people comes to the station carrying a disease that is 100% deadly to their race (and some others with similar blood). Because it originated on an isolated island known for its immorality (their version of Sodom and Gamorrah), the Markab on the station believe the cause ''was'' immorality, and refuse to even speak of it, let alone allow Dr. Franklin, chief medical officer, to try to help them. Insisting they are moral and won't contact the disease, they lock themselves into quarantine, away from the other "immoral" races. Delenn, ambassador from the Minbari and trusted by the Markab, insists on trying to minister for them. Later, when the crew has found a cure, using other species to test, they open the quarantine area to find a shattered Delenn, and all the Markab on the station succumbed to the disease.

Contrast with a TragicAIDSStory, which is a sympathetic portrayal of a character dying of AIDS. Sub-trope to SexualKarma. See also GoodVictimsBadVictims.

In older works this is often used as a form of SlutShaming. Promiscuous and oftentimes gay characters were "bad", so to punish them they ended up with syphilis, AIDS, or some other sexually-transmitted illness. This variation is rarely used anymore, but it will occasionally pop up.

Contrast with a TragicAIDSStory, which is a sympathetic portrayal of a character dying of AIDS. Sub-trope to SexualKarma.

* In ''Webcomic/DMOfTheRings'', Aragorn has the habit of hitting on attractive {{NPC}}s (and the attractive PC Legolas) in a creepy way. The DM punishes him for it by ''[[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor having his way]]'' with Éowyn, and then making him roll a Fortitude saving throw versus Disease, implying he got an STD from her.

* In ''Webcomic/DMOfTheRings'', Aragorn has the habit of hitting on attractive NPCs (and the attractive PC Legolas) in a creepy way. The DM punishes him for it by ''[[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor having his way]]'' with Éowyn, and then making him roll a Fortitude saving throw versus Disease, implying he got an STD from her.

[[folder:Fan Works]]

* Channel 4's ''Misfits'' featured an episode with a woman who had the ability to give people superpowered STIs. HilarityEnsues when promiscuous and (seemingly) uncaring Rudy fell victim to it, and has to go on a search to find said woman and make it up to her before his member falls off.

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': In the episode "Tonsil Trouble", the TokenEvilTeammate Cartman discovers he has AIDS. Kyle thinks it's karma. Cartman believes that no-one deserves AIDS, but he still [[DisproportionateRetribution infects Kyle anyway]] just to teach him that.

Contrast with a TragicAidsStory, which is a sympathetic portrayal of a character dying of AIDS. Sub-trope to SexualKarma.

[[AC: ComicBooks]]

[[AC: FanWorks]]

[[AC: {{Film}}s -- Live Action]]

[[AC: {{Literature}}]]
* In ''{{Literature/Dune}}: House Atreides'', Reverend Mother Mohiam was sent to [[StalkerWithATestTube conceive a daughter with Baron Harkonnen]] and he drugs and violently rapes her, as revenge she infects him with a disfiguring STD.

[[AC: LiveActionTV]]
* Discussed in an episode of ''Series/TheGoldenGirls'' in which Rose is being tested for AIDS because of a possibly contaminated blood transfusion. She rants at Blanche that she doesn't know why this is happening to her when she's a good person, and that it seems like something which should happen to the more promiscuous Blanche. Blanche, understandably offended, fires back that "AIDS is not a 'bad person' disease, Rose! [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped It is not God punishing people for their sins]]!"

[[AC: Urban Legends]]

[[AC: WesternAnimation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': In the episode "Tonsil Trouble", the TokenEvilTeammate Cartman discovers he has AIDS. Kyle thinks it's karma. Cartman believes that no one deserves AIDS, but he still [[DisproportionateRetribution infects Kyle anyway]] just to teach him that.

* Discussed in an episode of ''Series/TheGoldenGirls'' in which Rose is being tested for AIDS because of a possibly contaminated blood transfusion. She rants at Blanche that she doesn't know why this is happening to her when she's a good person, and that it seems like something which should happen to the more promiscuous Blanche. Blanche, understandably offended, fires back that "AIDS is not a 'bad person' disease, Rose!"