Locking up condoms

[n2doc]

Prophylactic Measures
Many Can't Buy Condoms Now Before Paging a Store Clerk to Unlock Them
By Suz Redfearn
Special to The Washington Post
Tuesday, April 11, 2006; Page HE01

Sindy Dominguez, 17, of Hyattsville already had a baby, and didn't want another -- at least not until she'd established a home and a career. Three months after her daughter was born, she and her boyfriend went to the CVS pharmacy near their apartment to buy a large box of condoms. They found them locked in a case equipped with a button that read "push for assistance." They pushed, and heard a call for help for a pharmacist, but no one came. They pushed again. And again. "My boyfriend said, 'Do you want to just leave?' and I said, 'Yes, let's just go,' " said Dominguez. "We went to a nearby gas station and bought a few single condoms.

Keith Eby had a somewhat similar experience. A day after the 37-year-old health-care consultant found the condoms locked up at his neighborhood CVS at Logan Circle, he tried the CVS on M Street in Georgetown, near his office. Same problem. "I don't get embarrassed easily, but even I couldn't imagine ringing a buzzer and having everyone in the store know I was purchasing condoms," said Eby. "I can't even imagine what that must be like for someone who does get embarrassed easily or is not comfortable with their sexuality." Finally Eby remembered that a new CVS had opened across the street in the Ritz-Carlton. He went in and found the condoms unlocked and available on the shelf. He said he bought many so he wouldn't have to go through this again anytime soon.

more (reg required):

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/10/AR2006041001312.html

[shenmue]

1. What?!

Who are these corporate people to control your life?

[Bassic]

8. They're corporations.

That's how things work now.

[Deja Q]

15. "But we have no right to tell corporations what to do."

Say Libertarians...

...who also say meandering gibber about how we all have right to happiness, freedom, and so on and that others shouldn't take it away. When all the corporations do the same thing means our freedoms are gone.

Not that I'm equating fancy balloons to freedom, mind you... the fool should have tried to buy them before making kid #1...

[Bassic]

16. Well, libertarians really mean that you're as free as you can afford. nt

[marmar]

2. Welcome to America: We don't believe in safe sex or birth control...

But in Europe and even Canada, there are condom machines in airport bathrooms. We're fast becoming the laughingstock of the western world.

[mr blur]

3. Actually, there are condom mchines all over the place

over here. Pubs, restaurants, hotels, public toilets... Surely it must be the same in the US?

[marmar]

6. Unfortunately, not in the Puritanical States of America...

I've noticed the condom machines in Hard Rock Cafes in London and Amsterdam. You won't find them in Hard Rock Cafes in los estados unidos.

[Squatch]

7. But, you will find them in some truckstops

[Jersey Devil]

11. very, very rarely

I live in a liberal northeastern state, NJ, and even here I cannot remember the last time I saw a condom dispenser in a bathroom anywhere.

[Bassic]

9. In Canada, there are condom machines

in restaurants, bars and even some schools. Hell I remember getting some free ones just by going to see the school nurse.

Edit: this list is not exhaustive. There are condom machines pretty much everywhere to be frank.

[Callalily]

4. I have never

heard anything so absurd in all my life. Isn't it the idea to prevent unwanted pregnancies? What ever are these people thinking? How utterly controlling! Every day we become more and more a police state.

[Squatch]

5. I've seen this before and have to shake my head.

There was a place outside of Dallas that wouldn't sell them past 7 PM. So, imagine my frustration after picking up my girlfriend from the airport after not seeing her for a few months.

[donco6]

10. Solution: Find the nearest gay bar.

Jeez, they're available free in bowls all over the place.
Why force people to beg for something that might save their lives?

[Bassic]

13. Life itself is seldom important to Conservatives. (emphasis on big C)

Only that you obey their rules.

[CottonBear]

12. Condoms are locked in a glass case in the front of a Publix supermarket

in Oconee County, Georgia. The glass case in under a counter whuch is in full view of everyone in the check out lines. The counter has a register and is also where you can wire money by Western Union, buy newspapers and cigarettes. Oh yeah, there's a locked glass display case of expensive champagne right next to the condom case. The same store puts opaque plastic covers over the Cosmopolitan magazine display (don't want kiddies to see boobs) but not over the tabloids or gossip magazines. Hypocrites.

[Sal Minella]

19. So much for the "pro-life" mantra -- anyone who's genuinely pro-life

would lock up the cigarettes and make condoms easily available.

[Devlzown]

14. They're doing it to prevent theft.

Some of the stores have had serious problems with people stealing condoms. There was another interesting little factoid in the article -- one in every twenty people in D.C. is HIV positive. I find that amazingly awful.

[TechBear_Seattle]

17. There's a joke in there, somewhere

There was another interesting little factoid in the article -- one in every twenty people in D.C. is HIV positive.

I'm willing to bet the high incidence of HIV in the District of Columbia is the direct result of politicians unsafely screwing the people. And where there is a concentration of politicians....



(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

[AngryAmish]

18. Around here most rubbers are locked up

I would figure they are a high-shoplifting thing. Relatively expensive plus the embarrassment factor.

[Sinti]

20. Many places won't sell them to under 18 year olds

They lock them up, because the kids will steal them and so they can check ID, but more and more places simply don't sell them at all.

I'm convinced the fundies don't want you to have birth control of any type. They want to shove their anti-living, sterilized lifestyle down your throat, and have the power to do it (at least in the bible belt).