Hi Allison,

Thanks for posting your question.  Though I'm not a doctor, I do have herpes and think I can answer you.

You can only transmit herpes from the place where you have it.  So if you only have genital herpes, and don't have oral herpes, then you cannot give someone herpes by kissing him/her nor by giving oral sex.  However, if your boyfriend has genital herpes, and maybe doesn't know it, he could give you oral herpes if you give him oral sex.  Also, you can give your boyfriend oral herpes if he gives you oral sex, or you can give him genital herpes by having traditional sex (penetration).  

In other words, you are contagious on your genitals, but not on your mouth.  I recommend you check out the Herpes Transmission and Dating and Relationships pages for more information.

PJ