an attempt to lighten things up a bit.

[Irvine511]

it's been an exceptionally gloomy past few days here in washington, and i have little motivation to do the dozen things i had hoped to get accomplished this weekend. i did, however, make it down to CVS to buy laundry detergent, soap, as well as some condoms.

so this is sort of humorous, but sort of serious. at the CVS in my neighborhood, these things are sealed behind a locked glass door, and you have to call someone to unlock it for you. and if they don't have the key, they walk over to the telephone and make an announcement over the loudspeaker, asking for someone for the keys in "Aisle 13," which of course has a big sign above listing the conents of that aisle, and of course it said CONTRACEPTIVES.

all this happened to me, and while it wasn't a big deal, it's a bit disconcerting to have such attention drawn to a relatively personal purchase -- and i'm 27 and relatively unembarassed about sex-related thoughts, ideas, and things. why, on earth, would you make it any more difficult to purchase a tiny device that has probably prevented a million deaths and many millions more unwanted children into this world? if i were 17 i don't know that i could have gone through with it and asked a clerk to unlock the case for me. this seems idiotic, if not nearly criminal. do you have to be 18 to purchase contraception? what reason could there possibly be for this? why would you want to make someone who's doing the responsible thing totally self-conscious?

 

[BVS]

I've never understood that either, makes no sense.

 

[DaveC]

I bought a box of condoms once when I was 16 or 17 at the grocery store, and the only line that wasn't packed with people was this little old lady probably working part-time to support her pension.

I bought some razor blades too, and she scanned in the razor blades without even looking up, then she grabbed the box of condoms, stopped, and looked right up at me like I had two heads. She stared for what seemed like an eternity (although it was probably only a second or two with people in line behind me), then made a barely audible "tsk" sound, like it was something I shouldn't be even thinking of purchasing as she scanned it and hustled it into the bag. Then I got a "twelve fifty", very curt and short without looking at me or saying please, gave her my money, she gave it back without a word and immediately went on to the next customer, as I was standing there even. No response to my "thank you" either. That was embarrassing, because her actions caused the other people in line to give me odd looks too.

I hustled my ass right out of that place.

 

[deep]

maybe they should pass them out at church

 

[DaveC]

maybe they should pass them out at church

I would have no problems with anyone passing out condoms at my church.

 

[U2democrat]

i've never purchased condoms and don't plan to anytime soon

 

[joyfulgirl]

It's funny, I recently asked one of my gay friends his advice on the best brand of condoms (figured I may as well get an expert opinion). I asked him simply what kind did he buy. His response was, "Buy?! I haven't bought condoms in years. Gay men don't have to buy condoms anymore. They're free in the bathrooms at the club so I just grab whatever they have." (Of course you have to be the club-going kind of gay man to take advantage of that.)

Now this really pissed me off because there is really only one decent nightclub in town and while it certainly has a large gay clientele it is not exclusively gay and I have never seen one condom in the women's bathroom there and the double standard totally pissed me off.

But coincidentally, a few days later I happened to have an appointment at the Women's Health Services here, which isn't a free clinic at all but just happens to have doctors on my insurance plan, and there was a basket of condoms in the waiting room so while no one was looking I helped myself to a supply.

Still, here you can buy condoms in drug stores that aren't locked up and which you don't even have to ask for. They are just right there on the rack in the open next to earplugs or whatever.

Many years ago, though, I was in some little mom and pop market in some smalltown somewhere and had to ask the little grandpa owner for tampons which were inexplicably located behind the counter.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I agree, it's so wrong to make people self-conscious about that. Wasn't that a scene in that movie Summer Of 42 that came out how many years ago?

The CVS stores that I shop in have them right out in the aisle, the supermarkets do too

Costco sells them too, in bulk

Costco definitely promotes safe(r) sex

 

[deep]

They also sell them at the 99 cent store.

for all you cheap f*cks

 

[verte76]

I think it's terrible that they make you self-conscious when you are buying condoms. If someone wants to use condoms, that's fine with me, it's none of my damn business and it's your conscience, not mine.

 

[bcrt2000]

I think it's terrible that they make you self-conscious when you are buying condoms. If someone wants to use condoms, that's fine with me, it's none of my damn business and it's your conscience, not mine.

i agree that its dumb to lock them up.

but your statement brings up a very good question-- why are people so embarrassed about using condoms? its not like its something to be guilty about

 

[Irvine511]

i totally agree that it's not something to feel guilty about -- in fact, people who buy condoms should get a medal, or maybe, like, $1 off your next purchase because they're doing the absolute right thing.

but, still, it is a personal product, and it's more of a privacy thing -- having to get someone to open the case for you is kind of like announcing that you're planning on having sex sometime soon.

i'm actually not, (sadly ... *sigh*) but i always want to have them on hand, because, you know, you never know, and i've lived with people who have banged on my door at night and asked me if i had some.

while that's a little rude, and a bit embarassing for both of us, i'd rather have them on hand than have a friend make a stupid decision. and when i was in college i was a quasi-hybrid-RA for a bunch of freshmen -- it was very different at my school, and you were more of a counselor/friend/peer/advisor than someone who writes people up for smoking pot or something. we were given condoms by the health center, and we kept them in a fishbowl in the common room.

they didn't seem to get used much, though. maybe we were an unsafe bunch, or maybe we were just really uncool and too lame to get laid.

 

[verte76]

That's what I mean, no one should be embarrassed for deciding to use a condom. I don't see why the heck they have to lock them up, either. Maybe it's a law in some states, I've seen condoms in some places in Alabama but there's alot of opposition to condom use and such in this area, heck, they don't call this place the Bible Belt for nothing. I personally don't shop for them so I don't know what the situation is around here with them.

 

[Sue DeNym]

They also sell them at the 99 cent store.

for all you cheap f*cks

Seriously, though, I think they're locked up to prevent shoplifting. Same reason cigarettes and really expensive liquors are.

Not at my store, though; they're right in front of the pharmacy on hooks, for anyone to grab.

 

[Irvine511]

Seriously, though, I think they're locked up to prevent shoplifting. Same reason cigarettes and really expensive liquors are.

vice behind glass? well, maybe you are right -- the liquor store 3 blocks up has all it's contents behind glass. you walk up to the vendor, order, give him the money on this weird little revolving door kind of thing, and he took the money, gave you your change, and then put the vodka or whatever in the door.

very different from where i grew up.

but why condoms? why are they more likely to be shoplifted than other things of similar value?

and i'd rather have a kid shoplift condoms than not be able to afford them and go off and have unprotected sex.

 

[phanan]

I hate condoms.

 

[ZeroDude]

Condoms are handed out for free by the nurse if you visit her office in the College/ TECH I go to, I'm all for people having that kind of service everywhere thats feasable and wise...........

P.S. I'm 17 and hell no I'm notpaying for diddly squat, especially diddly squat

 

[indra]

I think that vending machines would be perfect for condoms. It would sure make it a heck of a lot less stressful for shy people and would also enable them to be sold almost anywhere (so you would be able to get them after the shops had closed if need be).

Of course, free is always better.

 

[ILuvLarryMullen]

I think that vending machines would be perfect for condoms. It would sure make it a heck of a lot less stressful for shy people and would also enable them to be sold almost anywhere (so you would be able to get them after the shops had closed if need be).

Of course, free is always better.

they have condom vending machines in some of the bathrooms at my college.

 

[indra]

they have condom vending machines in some of the bathrooms at my college.

Which is great, and I've seen them at clubs too. But I'd like to see them in many more locations. I'd like to see them in with the peanuts and chocolate bars. Wouldn't that be perfect? You can get your soda, candy bars, and condoms from the same place. It's the perfect cheap date.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

One time when I was in the grocery store, I saw a box of condoms that had clearly been open and some taken out

Looks like someone was desperate-I didn't see anyone having sex in the frozen foods aisle

 

[BVS]

-I didn't see anyone having sex in the frozen foods aisle

No it's far too cold in there, it was the waiting area for the pharmacy for they have a bench...I mean that's what I've heard.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Of course in frozen foods, there's the shrinkage issue

 

[BVS]

Of course in frozen foods, there's the shrinkage issue

You got it.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I'd rather have Ben and Jerry in the frozen foods aisle

 

[BVS]

I'd rather have Ben and Jerry in the frozen foods aisle

Threesomes eh?

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Ben and Jerry and sexy redhead, maybe..OK, I don't mean/want to be scary

At this point I don't know if even Ben and Jerry would be interested..

 

[BVS]

Ben and Jerry and sexy redhead, maybe..OK, I don't mean/want to be scary

At this point I don't know if even Ben and Jerry would be interested..

But I don't like to share.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

OK

But I'll still need the free ice cream (Chocolate, no weirded out flavors pls)

I hope Irvine doesn't get mad at us, so we better talk about condoms again

 

[sulawesigirl4]

Peace Corps hands them out by the dozens. Free, free.