Another midterm bites the dust. I realize I’m a bad blogger when school is getting the best of me. It’s like I’m cheating on you…I’m not giving you my full attention. But I’m here now to tell you I was wrong, please take me back. I love you. Sniff sniff. Did that work?
So I usually write about mostly fluffy topics. Ya know, like being drug up a mountain by a ski lift, the mis-adventures of Tuesday Man and Perceptive Girl and the maladies of growing a garden in ones backyard (by the way I have like 13 watermelons and still don’t know when to pick them). But today something really chapped my hide and I feel I must talk about it….and it’s sure to get me on a roll on other topics. Please bear with my while I vent.
So I went to the grocery store tonight to pick up a few items. I was craving avocados for some reason and had to have them tonightorI’mgoingtodie. So I made the trip to Albertsons. I was perusing the aisles when I pass by the pharmacy. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed that along with the diabetic blood checkers, the really expensive diet pills and the other pricey stuff there are all their condoms. Curious. They are in a locked, glass case. This starts to perturb me. It’s not that I need to get condoms at the very moment and it’s not that I’m too embarrassed to ask for them. I’ve done my fair share of buying those and other ‘embarrassing’ items at the store (suppository anyone?) and it doesn’t bother me. What bothers me is that for millions of other folks it could be an embarrassing situation. More to the point, those younger, possibly teenage folks who are trying to do the right thing could more likely than not get scared off by the thought of having to ask an adult, behind a counter to come around the other side of the counter, in front of everyone and unlock the glass case while they tell the pharmacist exactly what brand they want. I realize the argument is that if you’re too embarrassed to buy condoms you should be having sex. Fine and dandy. I also know that that’s not the way it works and that’s not the way kids think. I don’t think there are many teenager out there that will say to themselves “self, I’m embarrassed to buy condoms. This must mean I’m not mature enough to have sex. I guess I’ll just wait until I’m more mature”. Uh huh. When pigs fly out my butt. What if ‘Joe’ and his girlfriend have decided to have sex and Joe goes to do the right thing by going to buy some condoms. In this day and age with self-checkout it could certainly be almost embarrassment free. Instead, he sees the setup at the store, contemplates it, feels embarrassed and then leaves the store then telling his girlfriend how embarrassing it is to buy protection and maybe they should just use the ‘pull out method’. Yikes.
I may be over-reacting to this situation. You may think I’m crazy. Joe could always go to another store and get the condoms. But it really chaps my hide for some reason that in this day and age that has to be done.
I decided to ask the pharmacist what was up. He responded that is was due to their price and because of theft. But the other products you have in the case are like $50-$100, condoms are like $7-$10…you have cheese that’s more expensive than that and I don’t see it behind the case (yes, I would like the blood pressure cuff and the gruyere please). Maybe condom theft is high. But I’d much rather Joe steal the condoms than not to use one at all and then I have to pay my hard earned money for the child that his teenage girlfriend is going to have and can’t afford. Maybe to solve the problem I’ll just start handing out free condoms myself. Problem solved.
Obviously I’m not the first person to have a problem with this:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/10/AR2006041001312.html
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=547996
While I’m on the topic of reproduction, I also have a few beefs on the topic of the ‘morning after pill’ and its availability. I have only had to use this once in my lifetime and it was more due to my neuroses than probably actually needing it. Nonetheless, it was a very nervous time. I had to call the doctor, get a prescription, etc. etc. etc. It’s so great that it’s now available over the counter. BUT, there were pharmacist that refused to fill the prescription back in the day and today there are pharmacies that choose not to carry the drug. I can’t imagine walking up pensively to the pharmacist with my prescription, sweating from nerves only to be told with a ‘holier than thou’ look that they won’t fill my prescription. That’s the last thing any woman needs when in that situation. I know you can argue whether or not it’s ethical to take the pill or not. I will tell you it’s not the ‘abortion pill’, it is preventing the egg from attaching to your uterus in the first place. The same result can be done with 3 or so birth control pills. I’m not here to discuss right and wrong, I’m here to discuss a woman’s right to choose. Who are you Mr. Pharmacist to tell me what I can and can not do in my life? Once again, I could go to another store, but what if I couldn’t? Right now it’s only a few stores that won’t sell it to you, but a big change can start with a series of small changes…to test the water. To make you more comfortable. “I don’t care if two pharmacies in my area won’t provide that to woman, there are others to go to.” “I don’t care if the pharmacies in my town have stopped carrying it, there are others really close” “I don’t care if I have to drive an hour to get it, at least it’s still available” Suddenly you have no other options. You can’t get it. Someone else has made the decision for you. That terrifies me. It’s the same with abortion. I’m not saying I would get one. I’m not saying whether or not I agree with them. But I’ll be damned if I let some middle aged, holier than thou Republican MAN decide for me and all of woman kind whether or not it’s the right decision. Baby steps. If they take away one ‘right’ what’s to say they can’t take away 10 more. Far fetched? Maybe. Maybe not. It all starts with baby steps. Come in, the water is just lukewarm. We’ll just raise the temp a little bit now, you’ll hardly feel it. Okay, just a little more…see, that’s not so bad. Before you know it, they water is fucking boiling and it’s too late to jump out.
Can you tell I’m passionate about this topic? I realize it’s controversial. I definitely know the other side of the argument and I’m not saying it’s not valid, but I feel strongly the other way. Just something to think about.
Whew! Sorry for the heavy topic, but I just had to get that off my chest. I hope my readership hasn’t now declined from 5 to 3. :)
So I usually write about mostly fluffy topics. Ya know, like being drug up a mountain by a ski lift, the mis-adventures of Tuesday Man and Perceptive Girl and the maladies of growing a garden in ones backyard (by the way I have like 13 watermelons and still don’t know when to pick them). But today something really chapped my hide and I feel I must talk about it….and it’s sure to get me on a roll on other topics. Please bear with my while I vent.
So I went to the grocery store tonight to pick up a few items. I was craving avocados for some reason and had to have them tonightorI’mgoingtodie. So I made the trip to Albertsons. I was perusing the aisles when I pass by the pharmacy. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed that along with the diabetic blood checkers, the really expensive diet pills and the other pricey stuff there are all their condoms. Curious. They are in a locked, glass case. This starts to perturb me. It’s not that I need to get condoms at the very moment and it’s not that I’m too embarrassed to ask for them. I’ve done my fair share of buying those and other ‘embarrassing’ items at the store (suppository anyone?) and it doesn’t bother me. What bothers me is that for millions of other folks it could be an embarrassing situation. More to the point, those younger, possibly teenage folks who are trying to do the right thing could more likely than not get scared off by the thought of having to ask an adult, behind a counter to come around the other side of the counter, in front of everyone and unlock the glass case while they tell the pharmacist exactly what brand they want. I realize the argument is that if you’re too embarrassed to buy condoms you should be having sex. Fine and dandy. I also know that that’s not the way it works and that’s not the way kids think. I don’t think there are many teenager out there that will say to themselves “self, I’m embarrassed to buy condoms. This must mean I’m not mature enough to have sex. I guess I’ll just wait until I’m more mature”. Uh huh. When pigs fly out my butt. What if ‘Joe’ and his girlfriend have decided to have sex and Joe goes to do the right thing by going to buy some condoms. In this day and age with self-checkout it could certainly be almost embarrassment free. Instead, he sees the setup at the store, contemplates it, feels embarrassed and then leaves the store then telling his girlfriend how embarrassing it is to buy protection and maybe they should just use the ‘pull out method’. Yikes.
I may be over-reacting to this situation. You may think I’m crazy. Joe could always go to another store and get the condoms. But it really chaps my hide for some reason that in this day and age that has to be done.
I decided to ask the pharmacist what was up. He responded that is was due to their price and because of theft. But the other products you have in the case are like $50-$100, condoms are like $7-$10…you have cheese that’s more expensive than that and I don’t see it behind the case (yes, I would like the blood pressure cuff and the gruyere please). Maybe condom theft is high. But I’d much rather Joe steal the condoms than not to use one at all and then I have to pay my hard earned money for the child that his teenage girlfriend is going to have and can’t afford. Maybe to solve the problem I’ll just start handing out free condoms myself. Problem solved.
Obviously I’m not the first person to have a problem with this:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/10/AR2006041001312.html
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=547996
While I’m on the topic of reproduction, I also have a few beefs on the topic of the ‘morning after pill’ and its availability. I have only had to use this once in my lifetime and it was more due to my neuroses than probably actually needing it. Nonetheless, it was a very nervous time. I had to call the doctor, get a prescription, etc. etc. etc. It’s so great that it’s now available over the counter. BUT, there were pharmacist that refused to fill the prescription back in the day and today there are pharmacies that choose not to carry the drug. I can’t imagine walking up pensively to the pharmacist with my prescription, sweating from nerves only to be told with a ‘holier than thou’ look that they won’t fill my prescription. That’s the last thing any woman needs when in that situation. I know you can argue whether or not it’s ethical to take the pill or not. I will tell you it’s not the ‘abortion pill’, it is preventing the egg from attaching to your uterus in the first place. The same result can be done with 3 or so birth control pills. I’m not here to discuss right and wrong, I’m here to discuss a woman’s right to choose. Who are you Mr. Pharmacist to tell me what I can and can not do in my life? Once again, I could go to another store, but what if I couldn’t? Right now it’s only a few stores that won’t sell it to you, but a big change can start with a series of small changes…to test the water. To make you more comfortable. “I don’t care if two pharmacies in my area won’t provide that to woman, there are others to go to.” “I don’t care if the pharmacies in my town have stopped carrying it, there are others really close” “I don’t care if I have to drive an hour to get it, at least it’s still available” Suddenly you have no other options. You can’t get it. Someone else has made the decision for you. That terrifies me. It’s the same with abortion. I’m not saying I would get one. I’m not saying whether or not I agree with them. But I’ll be damned if I let some middle aged, holier than thou Republican MAN decide for me and all of woman kind whether or not it’s the right decision. Baby steps. If they take away one ‘right’ what’s to say they can’t take away 10 more. Far fetched? Maybe. Maybe not. It all starts with baby steps. Come in, the water is just lukewarm. We’ll just raise the temp a little bit now, you’ll hardly feel it. Okay, just a little more…see, that’s not so bad. Before you know it, they water is fucking boiling and it’s too late to jump out.
Can you tell I’m passionate about this topic? I realize it’s controversial. I definitely know the other side of the argument and I’m not saying it’s not valid, but I feel strongly the other way. Just something to think about.
Whew! Sorry for the heavy topic, but I just had to get that off my chest. I hope my readership hasn’t now declined from 5 to 3. :)
Champagne wishes and can you tell I’m PMSing dreams (nightmares really)
6 comments:
I am glad that at the end you said you were PMSing. I am not a big fan of the MAN myself.
I absolutely LOVE your post! You and I agree 100% on what you wrote about!! You have echoed exactly what I’ve been thinking for some time now about condoms behind the glass and the morning after pill, which I had to use once in law school. I had to go to a Planned Parenthood location, though, which was very traumatic – I thought I was going to be bombed - all because I didn’t know if my ob/gyn would prescribe them, and I certainly didn’t want to wait the 24-48 hours for the nurse to call me back. In any event, at age 26, it was certainly my decision to go get the freakin’ pill and shame on any judgmental fool who would refuse to fill it, essentially taking away my ability to make such a decision in this free country. I have a little tangent… have you seen the movie Parenthood? I love the line that Keano Reeves uses, it’s something like “you have to have a license to drive a car or to catch a fish, but any asshole out there can have a kid.” It’s so true, and honestly, it kinda sucks. Any irresponsible KID out there can have a baby, which is a fundamental right in our country, but a GROWN woman may be refused the right to make a mature and logical decision to use the morning after pill? Appalling. Maybe I should have gone into constitutional law instead of insurance defense...
totally agree with you on everything. Including the morning after pill it totally chaps my ass that pharmacists are allowed to do this. you went into that profession buddy if you're not prepared to fulfill all the duties of it, pick another job.
I'm a librarian and I have to help every loser parent who comes in to do their slacker kids homework. That totally and completely goes against my morals and ethic, but it's my JOB.
I agree with you totally. I'm glad that I live in a more liberal state where they do sell condoms without locking them up. It certainly seems that they could just make these items available to everyone teenager at their high school, and then kids would be less likely to catch diseases or get pregnant from doing the nasty.
I took the "abortion pill" in college once too. It was not a pleasant experience, but way better than ending up with a child when I was nowhere near ready to even take care of myself, much less another living being.
Locking up condoms? WHAAA?
That would have chapped me too. You're so totally right.
Scotty - WHAT, you're saying I MUST be PMSing because this was so bitchy, huh huh huh? he he he. I kid, I kid! :)
Annie- awwww, thanks for having my back. Isn't it weird that you're prego now and you WANTED to be?? How life changes....
Bobbi - no way! You get parents that blatantly do their kids homework and projects? Pshhh, my future kids are totally out of luck on that one. But I agree...it's the Pharmacists JOB!
FluffyCat- thank goodness this is one of the only times I've ever seen them locked up. There are still many places that don't do that. Texans aren't completely backwards...yet.
LG- I'm so glad others feel the way I do. I was a bit nervous I'd get some mean comments on this post.
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