- Online boycott of Walgreens emerges after employees refused to sell contraceptives.
- Walgreens defended its employees and policy, stating that an employee can invoke on moral objections.
A movement to boycott Walgreens is bubbling up online after multiple customers reported employees denying them
In Hayward, Wisconsin, a cashier refused to sell Jessica Pentz condoms based on his religious grounds, per The Star Tribune.
In a Twitter thread, Jessica's partner, Nathan Pentz, posted the couple's customer complaint, which said the cashier, John, refused to sell them condoms because of his faith, then proceeded to embarrass Jess in front of other customers for her reproductive choice.
—Nate Pentz (@natepentz) July 3, 2022
"I was the only woman in the store at the time," Jessica told The Star Tribune. "It was a very lonely moment."
Walgreens defended the cashier's actions, stating that they were following the company's policy.
"Our policies are designed to ensure we meet the needs of our patients and customers while respecting the religious and moral beliefs of our team members," Walgreens spokesperson to NBC News. "The instances are rare, however when a team member has a moral or religious conviction about completing a transaction, they are required to refer the customer to another employee or manager on duty who will complete the transaction, which is what occurred in this instance."
Pentz is not the first person to be denied contraception by a Walgreens employee.
Abigail Martin said she was denied her refill from Walgreens because a pharmacist who wore two crosses around her neck denied her, according to a video she posted on Tiktok. In the video, she said she has been on birth control for six years.
@abigailmartiin i am so beyond pissed at our country right now. #roevwade #prochoice #womensrights #birthcontrol #vanlife ♬ original sound - Abigail Martin
Martin said a Walgreens representative appeared to confirm to her that she was not the only woman being denied birth control.
"She goes, 'I know exactly who you're talking about and we've been having this problem for the last two weeks,'" Martin said on her TikTok. "They've been having this problem for the last two weeks; they've been having a problem with women not being able to get their birth control."
According to a tweet by Walgreens, pharmacists are allowed to step away from filling out prescriptions that conflict with their morals.
—Walgreens (@Walgreens) June 25, 2018
The hashtag #boycottwalgreens went viral on Twitter and TikTok, with 2.9 million views on Tiktok.
Occupy Democrats, a progressive media outlet, tweeted a call to boycott Walgreens that garnered 27.3 thousand retweets.
—Occupy Democrats (@OccupyDemocrats) July 18, 2022
Walgreens did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.