Another update coming in from Dublin! I’m staying in Donabate, which is a small village outside of the city. Yesterday, I explored the Malahide Castle which was pretty amazing considering the amount of preserved Victorian items. This puts my castle count at two (2) so far, so I cannot complain! On another note, I’ve also started doing some ~digging~ for research in the midst of my adventures.
I visited a local small pharmacy, Brennan’s Life Pharmacy, to take a look at their over-the-counter options and speak to a pharmacist. I was pleasantly surprised by all of their offerings under the “Feminine Care” section. They had condoms, lube, pregnancy tests, vaginal moisturizers, and douche sets. I found it interesting that they care vaginal/anal douching sets considering this can be typically for same-sex sexual activities, and vaginal douching is not heavily promoted due to the possibility of bacterial growth (i.e. yeast infections).
After looking on my own, I decided to speak with a pharmacist. I asked about how to get other forms of birth control like the pill or patch, and she said I would need to see a doctor to get a prescription, but they would happily fill it then. The system seemed similar to the United States. Then, I asked if I could ask a few more questions about their products and her observations as part of my project, and she agreed. I asked about the most commonly purchased products, and she immediately said it was all kinds of condoms. She said it is usually a “young girl” who she assumes has limited funds or access to a doctor, so an over-the-counter option is the most convenient method. She also mentioned that she thinks the aisle name of “Feminine Care” reveals how it is a kind of the social norm for women to manage this kind of situation. She said she’s worked at other pharmacies that have it under “Family Planning” which she feels “terrifies the teens.” She also mentioned how she sells lots of pregnancy tests to young people, and she explained to me the culture of teen pregnancy in Ireland is still fairly prevalent. I shared some of my own experiences growing up in a neighborhood where I saw teen pregnancies, and we bonded over how there are so many initiatives that could improve the situation of unintended teenage pregnancies. She encouraged me to look into the work of the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) who have been the main advocates for lowering costs/free contraceptives to encourage uptake. Essentially, it is another instance of Cash Runs Everything Around Me (CREAM), including your options for birth control. Similar to the USA, when costs dictate the options for people, the larger negative sexual health outcomes and an unhealthy culture around sexuality are evident. When birth control (or healthcare broadly) is a business, we all lose.
I also visited the EPIC Irish Emigration Museum. It was very well put together! As someone who is passionate about my roots, I enjoyed hearing about how another culture maintains its heritage against oppression and tragedy. One of my favorite parts included hearing about Irish influence today that I was unaware of. Many public figures are of Irish descent, including Obama, Rihanna, JFK, and the list goes on and on. The museum had a small section about Margaret Sanger, a notable sex educator and birth control activist. It was fascinating to hear how Sanger introduced many people to birth control for the first time ever, but it came with many consequences. Sanger was charged with breaking obscenity laws due to the strict censorship policies that prevented any mention of contraceptives. It is important to note that Sanger’s legacy has been tarnished by the modern perspective that she was a proponent of eugenics and had ties with prominent white supremacists. Sanger’s role is debatable whether it was inclusive care and providing resources to an underserved population or a racist form of population control. Unfortunately, many early birth control activists have a similar background as eugenicists that oppressed Black communities and destroyed their autonomy. I believe part of this fuels my passion for the work because it is an uphill battle to rebuild, reimagine, and restore the field of sexual health for Black people and other historically oppressed communities. Moreover, I find it important to recognize these figures like Sanger for their significant contributions that make my work possible today. I feel honored to travel and learn about the countless leaders, mainly women, who paved the path for me.
