California Walgreens Pharmacist Denies Transgender Customer’s Meds on ‘Religious’ Grounds
Looks like we really are back in the dark ages. A pharmacist at a Walgreens in California denied a trans customer their hormone replacement medication on religious grounds, according to the L.A. Times.
According to the publication, Roscoe Rike, a transgender man who has been going to the same pharmacy to get his meds for nearly three years, was asked his diagnosis by the person behind the counter before it escalated into an argument. He told the Times, “It was just really surreal. I know that transphobia and transphobic people exist, but that was my first experience of a perfect stranger doing something like that to my face.”
He recorded part of the exchange on his phone. “So right now, you’re going to tell me you’re going to deny me my medication because of your personal religion? You’re not my f**king doctor,” he tells the pharmacist in the video, who then goes silent for a few moments while, clicking his computer mouse. “So you think you know better than my doctor? Is that what’s going on?” he asks.
The man then says he “just needs to know” the customer’s diagnosis.
To this, Roscoe responds, “Why? That’s none of your f***ing business! It’s always the religious people that have the most f***ing hate in their hearts. You’re disgusting.”
After the pharmacist’s refusal, another employee at the store contacted their manager, who got Roscoe his medicine. Roscoe said he understands that some have religious aversions and are allowed to not provide care on that basis, but as he points out, why would you go into a sector where your primary job is to care for others when you can’t do it for everyone? “If you follow a religion that is going to prevent you from doing your job and provide medical care to people, then you need to not be in the medical profession dealing with the public.”
He said that after what happened he has considered changing pharmacies or getting his prescriptions delivered directly to his house instead, but questions why he should have to do so. “There’s a part of me that’s like, why do I have to change how I do things? I didn’t do anything wrong. I should just be able to go to my local pharmacy and get my medication like everyone else.”
But this isn’t the first time that this has happened in the U.S. Trans people and women all over the states have been denied access to basic healthcare. This isn’t the first time that Walgreens has been in hot water over denying people their medication, either. At Walgreens, it turns out that pregnant women can get shot but not receive abortion pills.
(featured image: Vanessa Nunes/Getty Images)
Have a tip we should know? tips@themarysue.com
