Imagine being denied access to your prescription because it goes against the pharmacist’s sense of morality or religion.
Imagine walking into your local pharmacy to pick up your prescription for birth control and the pharmacist tells you they won’t fill it because it goes against their morality or religion. Worse, reports of judgement and slut-shaming from pharmacists are occurring more and more.
Mic.com recently covered this, writing, “Even when pharmacists do let people access contraception, whether emergency contraception or condoms or prescription birth control pills, the process isn’t always free of judgment. In a series of recent online discussions, people across the country have begun to share stories of the stigma they’ve experienced getting birth control at the pharmacy, illustrating that shame, criticism and unsolicited commentary are still common parts of pregnancy prevention.”
It’s not as simple as finding a different pharmacy, because in many rural states there may only be one pharmacy for miles. Maybe the patient who needs to fill a birth control prescription doesn’t have a car. There are a number of reasons that would make it difficult for an individual to find another pharmacy to fill a prescription, and frankly, no one should have to.
There’s only one way this will be remedied and that’s for voters to take action. We’re in a crucial election year and now is the time to flex our muscles as a voters. NARAL Pro-Choice America offers this advice:
- We can call on all lawmakers to fix this problem.
- States can pass laws that guarantee that women can get their birth-control prescription filled at any pharmacy.
- Better yet, Congress could enact a law that would put an end to denials and delays at pharmacy counters in all 50 states.
This can and will happen when progressive voters use their voice by voting in local and federal elections. Demand that your representatives make this a priority. You can call or email them, and if you do, it’s a good idea to do so at least once a month. If legislators/candidates hear from constituents often about a specific issue – they’re likely to take action. Otherwise, we’ll go backward and lose more ground. It’s in our hands.
If this pisses you off, do something about it. Don’t allow pharmacists the power to deny anyone’s prescription and tell the judgmental slut-shamers to, well, I think you know…
Check this LINK to see if your state will guarantee to fill your birth control prescription.
Find your representatives HERE. Register to vote HERE.
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