I want your words to go viral. I want everybody to read this and share in the burning rage. I want people to understand the stuff of right wing conspiracy theorists pales in comparison to what is ACTUALLY HAPPENING. The pain is the point. Patriarchal capitalism will never ever take care of its women, its people of color, its children, its families. Sometimes I don’t know whether to weep or scream. Or burn things down.
Thank you Meg for including the information that all news is leaving out. It's almost as if no one cares about reporting the actual underlying situation and causes, just the latest clicky headline!!! Never shopping at Walgreens again.
I don’t really understand so many decisions made in how stories are covered. But I do think the advertising model that requires constant content churn is part of the problem.
I’m a Chicagoan who grew up walking to the closest Walgreens practically daily (Walgreens is based in the Northern suburb of Deerfield, IL). I remember my grandmother buying square pints of Walgreens brand ice cream for us. It’s easy for me to say that I won’t shop there, because I havent shopped there in years. My prescriptions are at Target or Costco and the Target is a block away from Walgreens. But I know that not everyone is as lucky. And it is infuriating to see them capitulate when the meds are legal. I hope those they have an alternative take their business elsewhere.
My first job out of pharmacy school was as a floater for Walgreens in North Shore Chicago. I only worked there for a few months before switching to infusion pharmacy practice where I've been since.
During those months at Walgreens, there was a 2x2 square made with duct tape on the floor for the pharmacist to stand inside. The goal was to have everything within arms reach so literally you stayed inside your box for your entire shift. It was nuts.
And I'll never forget the old-money ladies in fur coats threatening to complain to Mr. Walgreens if you didn't wait on them first, which I did not do.
Thank you for clarifying the distinction of the two medications used for abortions. It's shameful that so many other news sources had not included this detail. It breaks my heart that women have to suffer so much in this day and age. It's not lost on me that this is happening during "Women's History Month", too. 🥴
I started my boycott of Walgreens when I heard this shit on the news, but they certainly left out ALOT of info that I'm happy you gave us here!!! I don't know which I'm more right now--outraged, angry, heartsick, or nauseated. Maybe equal parts of all of them. Thank you for the song, it was perfect.
This has to be in the chorus: "That pain is induced by a two step protocol of Republicans and Walgreens executives." I mean, you may need to shorten to "execs" or use "bosses" for it to scan but it will be a rousing chorus.
I had a miscarriage seven years ago - it didn’t complete on its own so I had to take misoprostol. The day I took the medication was the most painful day of my life, up to and including the birth of my two living children. (Though how much of that is the memory of pain and grief together, I couldn’t say.)
Every time I see the medication abortion debate, I think about this: how the only thing that separated me on that day from someone seeking medication abortion was that I wanted to be pregnant in that moment, and she did not. The difference isn’t about the safety or efficacy or anything, it’s about the difference in our desires. In our thoughts. Which is gross and wrong.
And that’s before I read this essay and learned that for abortion seekers there’s a way to make it hurt less. That there are folks out there in the same pain I was when they didn’t have to be.
Margaret, I hate it so much too. I am so sorry you went through a miscarriage. I still ache from mine in ways that newly surprise me. And it's been more than six years! Every bit of love to you.
I feel your incandescent anger. It burns clean. I hear the twang. It moves me deeply.
The casual cowardice of the cruelty of Walgreens which sacrifices its women customers upon the altar of stockholder greed is emblematic of so much of end stage parasitic capitalism that it is almost trite.
It does really feel like a plot device in a novel right? How can it always be so damn predictable? I am glad you heard the twang. Thanks for listening.
Thank you for this Meg. It feels like I keep getting handed more and more anger and my arms are full.
I think about a tweet everyday that reads “‘Every woman I know has been storing anger for years in her body,’ I wrote, ‘and it's starting to feel like bees are going to pour out of all of our mouths at the same time.’"
That statue is such an embarrassment. So is Walgreens. And wooboy so is so much of this country.
WHAT ARE WE DOING FOLKS
I want your words to go viral. I want everybody to read this and share in the burning rage. I want people to understand the stuff of right wing conspiracy theorists pales in comparison to what is ACTUALLY HAPPENING. The pain is the point. Patriarchal capitalism will never ever take care of its women, its people of color, its children, its families. Sometimes I don’t know whether to weep or scream. Or burn things down.
Yes! It pales compared to what is actually happening! Exactly!!!
Thank you Meg for including the information that all news is leaving out. It's almost as if no one cares about reporting the actual underlying situation and causes, just the latest clicky headline!!! Never shopping at Walgreens again.
I don’t really understand so many decisions made in how stories are covered. But I do think the advertising model that requires constant content churn is part of the problem.
I’m a Chicagoan who grew up walking to the closest Walgreens practically daily (Walgreens is based in the Northern suburb of Deerfield, IL). I remember my grandmother buying square pints of Walgreens brand ice cream for us. It’s easy for me to say that I won’t shop there, because I havent shopped there in years. My prescriptions are at Target or Costco and the Target is a block away from Walgreens. But I know that not everyone is as lucky. And it is infuriating to see them capitulate when the meds are legal. I hope those they have an alternative take their business elsewhere.
It’s so true. Not everyone can go elsewhere. A totally bankrupt system.
My first job out of pharmacy school was as a floater for Walgreens in North Shore Chicago. I only worked there for a few months before switching to infusion pharmacy practice where I've been since.
During those months at Walgreens, there was a 2x2 square made with duct tape on the floor for the pharmacist to stand inside. The goal was to have everything within arms reach so literally you stayed inside your box for your entire shift. It was nuts.
And I'll never forget the old-money ladies in fur coats threatening to complain to Mr. Walgreens if you didn't wait on them first, which I did not do.
Thank you for clarifying the distinction of the two medications used for abortions. It's shameful that so many other news sources had not included this detail. It breaks my heart that women have to suffer so much in this day and age. It's not lost on me that this is happening during "Women's History Month", too. 🥴
I totally forgot it's "Women's History Month" when I was writing this but yes that detail is just the icing on top of the horrible cake.
I started my boycott of Walgreens when I heard this shit on the news, but they certainly left out ALOT of info that I'm happy you gave us here!!! I don't know which I'm more right now--outraged, angry, heartsick, or nauseated. Maybe equal parts of all of them. Thank you for the song, it was perfect.
Equal parts for me too. I am so sorry we're all in this. But so grateful if we have to be, we're together.
Me, too--super grateful.
This has to be in the chorus: "That pain is induced by a two step protocol of Republicans and Walgreens executives." I mean, you may need to shorten to "execs" or use "bosses" for it to scan but it will be a rousing chorus.
ROUSING!
I had a miscarriage seven years ago - it didn’t complete on its own so I had to take misoprostol. The day I took the medication was the most painful day of my life, up to and including the birth of my two living children. (Though how much of that is the memory of pain and grief together, I couldn’t say.)
Every time I see the medication abortion debate, I think about this: how the only thing that separated me on that day from someone seeking medication abortion was that I wanted to be pregnant in that moment, and she did not. The difference isn’t about the safety or efficacy or anything, it’s about the difference in our desires. In our thoughts. Which is gross and wrong.
And that’s before I read this essay and learned that for abortion seekers there’s a way to make it hurt less. That there are folks out there in the same pain I was when they didn’t have to be.
I hate this.
Margaret, I hate it so much too. I am so sorry you went through a miscarriage. I still ache from mine in ways that newly surprise me. And it's been more than six years! Every bit of love to you.
Meg,
I feel your incandescent anger. It burns clean. I hear the twang. It moves me deeply.
The casual cowardice of the cruelty of Walgreens which sacrifices its women customers upon the altar of stockholder greed is emblematic of so much of end stage parasitic capitalism that it is almost trite.
It does really feel like a plot device in a novel right? How can it always be so damn predictable? I am glad you heard the twang. Thanks for listening.
Thank you for this Meg. It feels like I keep getting handed more and more anger and my arms are full.
I think about a tweet everyday that reads “‘Every woman I know has been storing anger for years in her body,’ I wrote, ‘and it's starting to feel like bees are going to pour out of all of our mouths at the same time.’"
The bees are furiously buzzing.
(I couldn’t find the original tweet but it’s quoted in this article but the original tweeter https://www.salon.com/2018/10/01/welcome-to-bee-season-women-are-furious-but-you-knew-that-already/)
Bees! Yes, this is exactly how it feels isn't it?