OK, so I’m currently having this love/hate thing going on w/ Target. I was ready to forgive them until I got this email response from them (belated email response at that). I am so miffed about it that I’ve actually decided to copy the email I sent to my girls about this whole situation here. So, here’s my rant of the day. Hopefully this doesn’t happen often; hopefully ppl won’t keep annoying me. I’ve included their generic customer service email addy in case anyone wants to tell them to stop making me upset (it can’t possibly be good for my skin).

Hey Gals,
I thought y’all might be interested in reading the response that I got from Target (for the email I had sent them about this whole birth control prescription thing). I copy/pasted it below. Also, it’s not just Target, and it’s not just “Plan B” (or the “morning after pill”). The same place had denied regular birth control pills. And that’s fine, but in the email I had told them that they should at least have one person who wouldn’t mind accomodating their consumers. There was a CVS where a married woman went in w/ her 2 daughters & the pharmacist wouldn’t fill her regular ortho-tri-cyclen prescription. She even went so far as to explain that she’s over 35 & married & just wants to have a regular relationship w/ her husband w/out worrying about getting preggers (which she, like, totally should NOT have to do). That CVS was down in the bible-belt too. This really isn’t cool. I mean, it’s totally fine that a pharmacist does not have to fill something b/c of their own beliefs, but it should be the corporation’s responsibility to have someone available to fill the needs of their consumers. B/c as I put in my email to Target, that corporations do not have religions.

Also, I’m a little miffed that it looks like no one read my letter, b/c I specifically stated in my letter that I wasn’t talking about Plan B specifically. And this “form letter” response that I got from them (for the email I sent them about 3 weeks ago, btw) goes on about Plan B. They obviously do NOT care enough to actually read the email I sent them. I’m emailing them back as soon as I have an extra minute! (Unfortunately, I don’t think that’ll be anytime real soon).
–D.

>From: “Target.Response” <Target.Response@target.com
>>To: me at my email addy
>Subject: Filling Prescriptions
>Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2005 10:45:57 -0600
>>Dear Target Guest
>>>>In our ongoing effort to provide great service to our guests, Target
>consistently ensures that prescriptions for the emergency contraceptive
>Plan B are filled. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Title VII of the
>Civil Rights Act of 1964 also requires us to accommodate our team
>members’ sincerely held religious beliefs.
>>>>In the rare event that a pharmacist’s beliefs conflict with filling a
>guest’s prescription for the emergency contraceptive Plan B, our policy
>requires our pharmacists to take responsibility for ensuring that the
>guest’s prescription is filled in a timely and respectful manner, either
>by another Target pharmacist or a different pharmacy.
>>The emergency contraceptive Plan B is the only medication for which this
>policy applies.
>Under no circumstances can the pharmacist prevent the prescription from
>being filled, make discourteous or judgmental remarks, or discuss his or
>her religious beliefs with the guest.
>>Target abides by all state and local laws and, in the event that other
>laws conflict with our policy, we follow the law.
>>>>We’re surprised and disappointed by Planned Parenthood’s negative
>campaign. We’ve been talking with Planned Parenthood to clarify our
>policy and reinforce our commitment to ensuring that our guests’
>prescriptions for the emergency contraceptive Plan B are filled. Our
>policy is similar to that of many other retailers and follows the
>recommendations of the American Pharmacists Association. That’s why it’s
>unclear why Target is being singled out.
>>We’re committed to meeting the needs of our female guests and will
>continue to deliver upon that commitment.
>>Sincerely,
>>>>Jennifer Hanson
>>Target Executive Offices