no glove no love

so, today I had to get antibiotics. turns out I've got a sinus infection. i go to the pharmacy to pick it up at there's a big red card in my prescription that says CONSULT! I don't even get an option this time! the pharmacist comes over and quietly whispers to me that if I am on birth control I need to use extra protection if I'm going to have sex.

the following thoughts fly through my mind:
shit!
hey wait a minute...
dude, it's not like if you were to you wouldn't have used extra protection anyway...

the thing is, she said it like it wasn't a given. and what's really scary is that for a lot of people, it's not. I mean, it's one thing to opt not to use a condom in an established, committed, we've-both-been-tested relationship but a lot of people aren't in them. people like me.

now, I don't sleep with a lot of people, it's not how I roll. some people do, some don't, i don't judge. unless you are stupid about it. hello, pregnancies and stds. and babies?!? yeesh. that's why my myspace page says "someday" next to the word "children."

so anyway, I'm now over being amazed at the pharmacist having to tell me that and instead have the following issues.

1. in a world where we can replace hearts and hips and cure most of what ails us, whycome can't we find a pill and an antibiotic that can co-exist in our bodies without screwing each other up?
2. why do some people still not use more than one form of birth control (religious preferences notwithstanding)??? if something is 98% effective that means 2% of the time...oopsie.

immediately I recalled a rather humorous encounter from a little while ago. I, too drunk to drive, ended up staying at a guy's house and as I'm sure you can guess, neither of us slept on the couch. But he wanted to have sex and I didn't. And let me tell you, we didn't. If there'd been any indecision in my mind, however, it would have disappeared immediately when he said the following phrase: "ifya want I could get a condom." Because he said it like he had just offered to give me a footrub or do the dishes even though he had cooked dinner. He said it like it was an option and like he was doing me a favor. huh?!?

plus, what's so wrong with guys shouldering a portion of the birth control burden, eh? it's not like we're asking you to pay for half of our pills/shots/rings. we just want you to do your part too. it's not like it's hard. or maybe it is. [oh, the puns. must. resist.]

which brings me to my conclusion: maybe we really should have applications for procreation.

okay, not really. but still.

ooh, also, random foxyfact. so you know the whole hpv vaccine? and how people are all up in arms 'cause it's to prevent a cancer that comes from an std? and how the state of texas is going to make girls start getting the shots when they're 12? well-1. as you likely know hpv can be transferred just by skin to skin contact. yikes. 2 is even worse though--2. so, some people argue that their virginal corn-fed buckle o' the bible belt daughter will only have sex with one man ever (and they just might be right, actually) and so there's no need to vaccinate her, right? wrong. they can't/won't test men for hpv, apparently it's quite invasive since the symptoms don't usually manifest. so, the *virginal* girl could be exposed to hpv if her hubby has had sex with someone else and has it, and they wouldn't even be able to test to find out. and hello, cervical cancer? no thank you, no thank you.

wow. this wasn't a light post, eh? you're welcome for your public service announcement?

and in the meantime? just keep your hats on. ;)

~foxysavant.