September 23, 2020

WIWW: How do you feel about masks?

I may be one of the only people I know who hasn't posted pictures on social media regarding masks. Maybe one or two? I can't remember. It's been a longgggg 6 months.


Until last week, when I finally gave in and ordered a pack of decent-fitting masks from Athleta, the only masks I had were ones my mom gave me. And she only gave them to me because she had collected an assortment from various places for herself and she gave me the ones that she didn't like. I made them work. Then, I found one of Scott's and liked the way it fit so I took it for my own after washing it to get the dirt and dog hair off since it was on the floor of his truck when I came across it. 

Then, he started going to class and the gym every day and needed multiple masks on hand so he took it back and I was left with the random assortment from my mom that I keep stored in the console of my car. I've only ever worn one of them. The mask is a means to an end for me. It's not about finding a cute mask, or even a comfortable one. 


Mask-shaming is such a real thing. I purposely give my business to places that don't require one because there have been instances where businesses have been publicly shamed on Facebook in this county for not requiring masks. It's kind of awful, the vitriol you see in these Facebook groups :/

My philosophy is this: if a business requires me to wear one, I will. I'm not going to make a big deal about it. It doesn't matter that much to me. Also, life is hard enough..I don't want to make someone's day worse by refusing to do something they have to ask me to do. 

If a business requires Wells to wear one, I do not go into that business with Wells.

I will not put a mask on my 2 year old. That's all. When I see pictures of 2 year olds in masks, my heart breaks. When I see people in mom groups on Facebook ask where they can get a mask for their 18 month old for daycare, I cringe. Especially because you often see the toddler wearing the mask incorrectly anyway. What is the point? 

When I was applying for jobs a few months ago and looking into daycares, I only looked at ones where the toddlers didn't have to wear masks. 

Now, if he was going to the doctor for a checkup or shots or something, I would see what their policy is in order to be in the building safely. I know for certain that when I took him for his 2 year appointment in Pittsburgh, he was actually sick and he had a fever that day and they still didn't ask me to put a mask on him. The topic never even came up. 

Just last week, I went to the zoo with him and a friend brought her two year old as well. Neither kid had a mask. I just pretend it's not a thing to put masks on toddlers. I'll wear one if I have to. He certainly doesn't need one. 

Months ago, in Pittsburgh, I took Wells to the post office and he didn't have a mask on. I did. He was only 22 months and I was carrying him. They refused me service because he didn't have a mask on. I just left because I was carrying a heavy box (and a toddler) and didn't have time for that kind of argument. I told Scott about it and he went in there to ask about it on his way home from work. The two women (Rebecca and Lauren, Pleasant Hills location) told Scott that we must not care about our child and we were sh*tty parents and they basically yelled at him until he gave up and left. I mean, what was he supposed to do? I went to the other local post office where the supervisor worked and told him about it the next week. He was horrified. I mean, I don't hope they ended up getting fired, but eh, I suppose it wouldn't bother me if they did. 


The point was that, as the supervisor said, they were not allowed to let whatever personal biases they had (that weren't rooted in science or law or common sense) affect how they treated customers. 

That's the kind of society we're turning into. That's why I refuse to make the mask a mark of my style or personality or take a bunch of fun selfies while wearing it or even spend any more energy thinking about it than it took to write this blog post. 

So if you haven't seen mask-talk from me on here or on Instagram, that's why. 

For what it's worth, these masks from Athleta (which I do recommend for the quality and fit, by the way) say not to put a mask on anyone under 3 years. 

They also say they don't protect you from anything, so there's that...

Confused? Me too. 



8 comments:

  1. I freaking hate masks. Hate them. I am claustrophobic and had an anxiety attack the first time I had to wear one in the grocery store. I had to run out and calm down because I genuinely felt like someone was trying to smother me to death. And don’t get me started on when they tried to make me wear one while giving birth.

    Ohio has a state-wide mask mandate, which our governor promised he would not do, and it pisses me off so much. I have very strong feelings about this. Gracie has a mask because it’s required in many places, but I never ever make her wear it. She can if she wants, and sometimes she wants to. She has had respiratory issues in the past and breathing her recycled air is not exactly healthy for her asthmatic, allergy-prone lungs. And then there’s the whole thing where Clara gets scared every time I’m in a mask, and I have to keep pulling it down so she realizes it’s still me. I hate that all she knows in her short life is people covering up their faces. This is not the world I want for my kids. I refuse to buy into the fear-mongering.

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  2. Its kind of hard for me to determine how I feel about them. We have a county mandate here, so i wear them, but I mean I was wearing them in public places anyway - INSIDE public places. I don't wear them outside. And i've NEVER seen a 2 year old in one. My 4yo niece is the youngest I think I've seen...

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  3. I cannot believe people do not want to listen to scientists.. I cannot stand the ignorance. Educate yourselves please.

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    1. The scientists who told us masks didn’t work in March bc they didn’t want people to buy them? Some states say no masks under age 10. Some daycares require them at 18 months. These masks I bought say not under age 3. And they also say they don’t work? Not to mention that suffocation is a leading cause of death for toddlers.
      So where is the secret information I can find that will give me the exact parameters of non-ignorance?
      You HAVE to understand why people are annoyed, confused, and exhausted.

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    2. The fact is that covid-carrying droplets spread through the air via simple actions like talking. Therefore, the masks are for your protection and the protection of others. This virus has now killed over 200,000 people in the U.S. Mandating masks for all counties and states would have prevented that, plain and simple.

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  4. Masks are mandated here, so if you want to go in somewhere, you have to wear them. But I think there is an age limit to an extent, like under 5 or something. I cant remember. We simply don't go anywhere. My thoughts on masks are very mixed, and it is because we were told not to buy them back in March, many scientists and medical professionals say that they don't really work, then there are studies contridicting all of that and there is incorrect information out there everywhere, and it has all turned political just like everything else in this country. Which to me, is beyond ridiculous. If I do go somewhere, I will put one on because I have to. Because if there is even a 1% chance it is saving someone's life then it was worth it. But what a world we live in right now where this is even a thing, right??? I am so ready for it all to be over.

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  5. Masks are mandatory on public transport throughout Switzerland but there's a minimum age - I can't remember if it's 11 or 12? Young kids definitely do NOT have to wear a mask. For shops it's dependent on the canton, so for Basel city you are required to wear a mask in all shops, post offices, supermarkets, etc. but again kids under whatever age it is are excluded.

    I think they're required to put that bit about them not preventing anything on the packaging because they're not medical masks so that way they're covered just in case.

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  6. I don't care if people think they're good or bad, one way or another. But I do care that people are shamed either way. I personally don't like them and won't wear one if I don't have to. I think 'Rona is real and people are getting ill from it, but I also think it's getting tied into politics and "sheep herding".

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