Life is still going great in Buenos Aires! After a couple of rough days of feeling overwhelmed with all of the changes, I have gotten back to exploring, researching, and enjoying life here. I’ve made it a priority to go for walks each day on my way to get lunch/dinner, and the French architecture has really caught my attention. I visited El Ateneo Grand Splendid yesterday, which was voted the 2019 most beautiful bookstore in the world according to National Geographic. It was stunning, and I even got emotional as a strong book nerd. The European inspiration is evident throughout the city from the buildings, but it is also clear in their Spanish dialect which seems closer to Spain Spanish than Mexican Spanish which I am used to. I often find myself asking people to slow down or repeat themselves, and I’ve noticed different words to describe things than I have heard of. I signed up for a tour next Tuesday to learn more about the history and architecture around the city, so I am looking forward to that to continue expanding my understanding of this country!
I’ve also visited a different pharmacy each day on my walks. I went to another Farmacity location. I noticed that they carried similar products, but this one also had a couple of spermicide options. This was slightly surprising because spermicide is not very popular in America, less than 1% of women in America use it (NPR). It is an uncommon method because the effectiveness rates are relatively lower, can cause irritation of the area, challenging to ensure perfect usage, and it does not protect against STIs. It is certainly an option, but most of my birth control consultation information/training has encouraged using other methods, so it was definitely surprising to see it stocked on the shelves alongside condoms. If someone did not know effectiveness rates, they may think this is just as great of an option. However, I noted that the other Farmacity did not have much available that assigned female at birth (AFAB) people could utilize by themselves for protection since it was only external condoms (typically worn by AMAB partners), so this is more of an option. I noticed a smaller selection of sex toys, but they still existed.
On a different walk, I stopped in Farmaplus, another popular chain here. This was a completely different experience. I searched around for the contraceptive options, often labeled as preservativos, but I did not find anything. Instead, I noticed huge aisles of feminine hygiene products and menstrual products. This does not directly relate to my research, but it does contribute to another potential norm of sexuality around here. Part of my job as a sexual health educator and researcher is constantly telling AFAB people that they do not need a ton of products to make their private areas smell better because it does not/should not smell like roses and perfume, and the vagina is naturally self-cleaning. Unfortunately, the United States continues to dump tons of money into developing and marketing these products as a necessity, an industry that has jokingly been called “Big Vag.” It was tough to see that this is likely a norm in Argentina as well. I saw a billboard promoting hygiene and beauty products for pregnant women, and I saw an aisle full of options for vaginal hygiene products here. These perpetuate the idea that those with vaginas should feel pressure to “clean it up” or smell, look, and feel a certain way beyond what is natural. After I got over my shock at all of the vaginal hygiene products, I realized I still had not seen condoms or lube or anything in this realm. Then, I realized it was all behind the counter. There were three men working, two older and one younger. I went up to them, and I asked about their options for preservativos. They mentioned condoms, and they said the pregnancy tests are behind me (the only over-the-counter item related to sex that I saw). I said I was all good, and I walked away. I thought to myself how uncomfortable that was. It was like asking for permission, and it was quite obvious that everyone could hear and see what I requested. I was not being dramatic in the slightest because I overheard the two young women next to me ask for their prescription birth control pills. I saw how tense they were, leaning on each other for support, and they seemed embarrassed too. This was a very tough way to obtain the necessary sexual health products when it is public and awkward, and I thought about how many people, especially teenagers and young adults, likely do not or cannot go through this to get what they need. Barriers to accessing birth control can be large systemic issues like poverty, but they can also be mundane, preventable ones like privacy.
