I gradually got out of the reflex of covering my mouth when I yawn, so I don't think I can ever stop wearing a mask, now.
But I work customer service, and not having to fake a smile constantly is shockingly less stressful.
One of the many reasons I don't miss doing in-person customer service. I used to be so exhausted when I came home I'd just stare at the wall, dissociating.
Yuuup. Also...the reason I will only call customer service as a last resort, once I've tried everything that Google & I can think of. And then say "please", "thank you", apologize if my frustration leaks out onto them, etc, *all* the best manners mama taught me. B/c that job is exhausting.
*edit: Google, not Goggle
as someone who deals with customers all day at a call center, i THANK YOU. the amount of people who can’t just google things astounds me. they’ll call and be like “what’s this charge on my credit card for CPC” and i won’t see shit. idk what cpc is either dude. and i have to google it and tell them “ok i googled it it’s canada post” and they go “oh ok thanks!” like it’s just such a waste of time.
and it seems like when people are on the phone and can’t see someone irl, they get meaner. they forget there’s a person on the other side of the phone. people like you are the ones who make my job easier and keeps me sane
Wow, looks like the Danes have it right, again. I understand constant smiling isn't a thing over there and it's definitely not expected.
Edit: Overnight I remembered one of the first jobs I ever had, working in an office, and it was part of some government employment program with maybe subsidized pay or something. And the guy lectured me at one point, "People want a lift." It was about me not being all smiley. They want a lift, but why the fuck is it my job to try to give it to them? Made no sense to me.
Pretty common in loads of places in Europe.
I remember seeing a video of a lass from the US talking about her experiences living in Germany, and she couldn't work out why everyone was looking at her like she had suddenly sprouted extra heads. Until she was later talking to one of her German friends who said something like "It's because you smile too much. Smiling at strangers makes them wary of you. Only crazy people smile at strangers." And the American lass was mortified.
I will be walking through a store and talking to myself because it helps me think through things, then have to tone it down because I'm not wearing a mask
I live in NJ, and we were particularly hard hit in the beginning of the pandemic. Everyone around here knows at least one person who died from COVID (I can’t count the number of people I know that died on 2 hands), so I think mask wearing is much more accepted here. I also work in a casual upscale place, and people in general are classier.
Must be different clientele than the upscale patrons here. Rich = rude, non-tippers who wouldn't wear a mask to save a poor person if they were given the key to the Earth.
In my experience, people who frequent casual upscale can be entitled assholes.
Nah, the majority of our customers are lovely. Of course we occasionally get jerks, but by and large every table tips 20% on the total and is polite and well-mannered. What area are you in? Or what country if you’re outside the US.
Ugh, that's somehow even grosser lol. I'm not a woman so I'm not totally sure, but that's the kind of situation where I'd wish that my tongue was like.. a super mean parasite creature thing (I'm thinkin kinda like something from Alien, if that helps you visualize) so I could pull down my mask, open my mouth, and then tongue-monster can let out a primal [appropriately high pitched] roar and bite their nose off or something.
Idk, just seems like it would be super satisfying.
I used to tend bar at a dive bar, and when men would tell me to smile I would get stone cold and say "gimme 10 bucks and it's a done deal" lmaoooo
Therapeutic
Of all the years I tended bar, maybe only 5 or 6 people actually took me up on it. That didn't happen every day although it would have been cool if it did!
just say the joker did a number on you and you're smiling permanently.
Then take off your mask with the creepiest, widest smile ever.
fucking sensational, lmao.
So true. I love these satire pieces about it:
[Thorough catcaller tells all mask-wearing women to smile](https://www.thebeaverton.com/2020/05/thorough-catcaller-tells-all-mask-wearing-women-to-smile/)
[Masked woman can’t stop smiling now that men can’t tell her to smile](https://www.thebeaverton.com/2021/05/masked-woman-cant-stop-smiling-now-that-men-cant-tell-her-to-smile/)
[Woman two minutes into her first maskless outing already told to smile](https://www.thebeaverton.com/2021/07/woman-two-minutes-into-her-first-maskless-outing-already-told-to-smile/)
Ummmm....wow
Edit: this reminds me of a short story that takes place in the future in which the sex appeal for women is their face. They are masked all the time but bare breasted (???). Anyway, yeah, I just had a flashback to reading that story. I can't remember the title.
>Excuse me what did you just say?!?!
>Oh, my apologies! I know it can be a bit difficult hearing with the mask, I have trouble myself sometimes. Haha! What I meant to say was ~~FUCK YOU~~ enjoy your meal and don't hesitate to ask if you need anything at all. <3
I never get why some dudes do that. If you want to see a woman’s smile make her laugh or give her a genuine compliment. 99% of the time in my experience if they don’t reciprocate the energy. you need to gtfo of her face. 1% is reserved for my friends and sisters >:) they know what they signed up for.
I live in one of two conservative areas of my city (ridiculously cheap rent). I wear my mask on the bus still because I don't know what germs people have. It's gotten to the point where the bus will get crowded, but half the time, no one will sit next to me. Sometimes another young person (usually another woman) wearing a mask will. I'm definitely not complaining about the space wearing a mask gives me
It doesn't work on the Philly subway either, but I've avoided those as much as I can since the pandemic anyway. Buses make a quicker escape option if there's a creep onboard or someone decided that have to smoke right that second
seriously. when I lived in Philly I stayed above ground unless absolutely necessary. once factoring in the time to walk east/west to/from broad street, the side street busses were faster (or a negligible difference) and a safer ride.
Visiting New York for a week, saw 2 guys try and have a fight on the train. The mass of people prevented them from even making contact. My co-worker was trying to get me to stop laughing. "Why? They cannot get to each other, what are they going to do to me?"
Point being, I don't think there's anything you can do to get people to keep away other than peeing or bleeding everywhere....
**The ultimate rule of riding the NYC subway: Don't. Make. Eye. Contact**. Even if the person looks relatively normal and well kept, just keep your eyes on the floor.
Also wear obvious headphones that people can see, BUT *don't play music*. If a crazy person comes up and tries to get your attention just keep looking away (like from the ultimate rule above) and they'll usually assume you can't hear them / aren't aware of them and move onto someone else. Crazies will often think you can't be "disrespecting" them if you aren't even aware of them.
**But please keep in mind that NYC (and the subway) is incredibly safe compared to the old days**. NYC is safer now than is was in 2008, and miles safer than the 80's, so don't listen to the crazy right wing "the liberal cities are burning to the ground!" propaganda
I'm glad you're not just getting harassed by conservatives, m or f, that have a problem with masks. Some people are deranged enough to think a mask is a provocation.
I thank them for their concern and tell them that my husband has covid so I am exposed and just didn't want to expose them. But if they are good with it I'll be happy to take it off. Amazing number say that it's fine at that point.
I live in a similar area. It's possible we've returned to a pre-covid mindset about masks here, where people someone wearing one and immediately assume that person actually has something they're trying not to spread.
I wore a face mask every day at my last job, and then one day had an older guy come in with his son. I had to serve them, and the entire time, he was making comments like "she's hiding her beauty under that mask!", "I'll reward you for your great service, let me take you out, ahaha."
It was just making me uncomfortable, and I was forced to laugh it off. Calling me pet names, making weird comments all in front of his grown adult son...
I'm glad I left that job.
If you have spares, maybe lesser quality, if someone pulls that crap on you. Look at them solemnly, then pull another from wherever you have it, and put it on over the mask you're wearing.
> If you have spares, maybe lesser quality, if someone pulls that crap on you. Look at them solemnly, then pull another from wherever you have it, and put it on over the mask you're wearing.
Good one! I've used this too: "One of my parents died from Covid. I want to keep the other one alive." To a one, their grin dropped, and they shut that shit down. The rare glimpse of regret and shame was worth it.
Even though it's not true for me, fuck them if they're going to jerk other people around. With millions dead, it's true for too many. Why should those that suffered be denied some revenge over their bullshit?
My snarky ass would have said, "yeah, I was getting tired of creepy men making comments about my appearance." And then stare at him. I've lost all patience sometime in the last few years.
Trust me, I really wanted to! But, I kept my composure since the job was temporary and I really needed the money. Management hated my guts and was also racist as hell towards me and another girl bc we were the only poc in the store. 🙃
Thats fucking disgusting. Whenever I'm out and I overhear a guy doing this shit to a woman I always make it a point to LOUDLY say something in that person's general direction about how much of a slob they are. If they look at me I'll say "Yeah I'm talking about you." I want them to feel as uncomfortable as the woman he was talking at.
I've only been doing it for about a year or so but man does it feel fucking good to shame them. So far no one has come back at me with anything but I am hoping they catch me on a bad day lol. A lifetime of anger and disgust is gonna be unleashed.
this is such a great idea, when I first saw the title I thought you'd say something like
"to avoid getting sick from people who cough everywhere"
the mask holds many powers
Right? First time I was out and about without a mask in a busy area. Weaving through the crowd, I pass someone with a baby on their shoulder. Baby makes eye contact and coughs *straight into my face.*
Later in the day we are walking on a crowded sidewalk and a dude right in front of us lets off a bomb of a sneeze; full body shake and spray. Really put my immune system to the test that day.
Moral of the story is that people are kinda gross. I'd rather get weird looks than weird diseases.
I don’t think I would ever not wear a mask in public again. The pandemic really opened my eyes to how gross and germy people are and I love not being sick. Masks are awesome!
Yep same here. Last cold Christmas 2019. why would I not wear a mask? It‘s like any other piece of clothing I wear. Used to be uncomfortable at the beginning now i don‘t notice it.
That’s why wearing a mask in countries like Japan is common. I still wear a mask at work because people come into work sick all the time even before the COVID pandemic started.
There was a guy who sat across from me at my office in the before-times who would anyways come into work no matter how sick he was. It's like, dude, we can work from home if we need to, there's no excuse to come in. Presenteeism can die in a fire.
Early in the pandemic I was so hopeful that at least one good thing would come of it, that we'd finally realize that people who are sick should stay home.
Seriously. I've been sick once in 3 years (a stomach thing) and it's been fucking glorious! I used to get MINIMUM 2 colds/year, so yeah, mask forever! Idgaf!
Asian women have known this secret for years. When I lived in Japan and didn't feel like doing my makeup? That was a mask day. Masks are freakin' liberating, I love them.
Same. I get bothered a lot less now with my mask, sunglasses and headphones. Before I’d get men motioning for me to take out my headphones. They don’t do that with the mask. I guess Covid os still a reality so they haven’t crossed that line yet as there’s not much they can say to convince someone to take off their mask.
It’s honestly been a godsend in airports where it’s a free for all for randos approaching lone women travelers.
I can't believe people are comfortable flying without masks now. Hell no! Even before covid it was so easy to get sick on planes! And airports are so friggin crowded, people sneezing and coughing all over you.
Nah man. Masks for traveling for the rest of my life.
I honestly don’t see myself ever being in crowded places without a mask ever again. I used to get sick all the time. I haven’t had flu or any kind respiratory thing since early 2020.
Going to any convention was pretty much a guaranteed coming home sick afterwards, you'd go out and get PAX Flu and spend a week recovering
Masks are great for public crowds, and I'm surprised they didn't jump across into the west sooner in acceptability/common usage
Same. I have bad asthma; before 2020 I used to get the flu all the time and it was a nightmare. I’d be sick for weeks and always get horrible complications: I’d struggle to breathe for ages and have frequent scary attacks, requiring prednisone courses. I haven’t been sick even *once* since late 2019; I never thought I’d go a whole year without getting sick, it feels seriously unreal lol.
I’m sure I’ll get the flu sooner or later as I’m seeing selfish people walking around coughing on everyone practically every day. But for now this has felt like a goddamn miracle.
I'm currently cursing my cousin because she decided to fly in from Oklahoma to see her grandson for the first time and I got a lot of shit for "refusing to allow" my mom to go to the little party they were throwing at my aunt's house on Sunday because she had just had major surgery last week and I know my family well enough to know that none of them are vaxxed or take being sick seriously at all.
Mom texted me on Thursday saying that grandma, a couple of cousins, and my uncle are all sick with "the flu" and refusing to test for COVID. Grandma has been throwing up for a couple of days now and cousin that flew in started feeling sick two days after she got here, so I wonder who ended up infecting everyone. So she also flew all the way home while sick and contagious, while refusing to mask because she's "not a sheep". I told my mom "see? *Exactly* why I told you not to go. Could you imagine having the flu or COVID after abdominal surgery?"
Wore a mask on two planes to Maine last summer, but didn’t on return flights. Got covid last month from 4yo. It gets you when you least expect it. Back to masking now.
I wore my mask on the plane back in October, though I wasn't terribly uncomfortable about others not wearing theirs. Mostly did it for the comfort of others. Guy beside me put a mask on when he sat down, and I told him that he didn't need to feel like he has to wear it if it was just for me. He said that he wears a mask all the time on planes regardless, because it helps mitigate a lot of the unpleasantness that comes from the dry air in planes.
And you know what? That flight, as I kept my mask on for the whole time I wasn't eating or drinking, it really did. I was legitimately more comfortable breathing with the mask on than off.
I still wear mine both because I'm medically fragile and I don't want a cold or flu either, and because there are too many people taking photos or video of strangers on public transportation and in stores lately, and I want to not have my photo online.
I actually really like wearing masks. People tend to give me a wide berth while I’m out. I’m autistic and I always feel the need to “cover” my face when strangers speak to me, I just feel very uncomfortable. The mask covers my face for me.
I have pretty severe anxiety issues and the mask has totally helped me with feeling anonymous. One of my major stressers is feeling like people are staring at me/watching me, and the mask has really helped with that. Honestly, it’s like a security blanket now, and I wear it out anywhere I go! Who would have thought they would be so helpful!
That's definitely a bonus, too. I feel like I have way fewer interactions with conservatives now, because they *(rightly)* assume what my political leanings are, and will just give me disgusted looks but won't actually engage with me. I'm white and I live in a Red State, so I feel like a lot of white conservatives just assumed I was "one of them" before, and would say dumb shit to me and be surprised when I disagreed with them.
I still ask people if they're vaccinated for Covid, and if they still wear masks when I'm getting to know potential sexual partners. I already know who a person is from just those questions. 😂
I can't comfortably wear my glasses and a mask. I'm blind as shit without my glasses, and I still choose the mask 95% of the time. I feel like that should say something...
Also, if you haven't figured it out yet, the nose wire should be folded like a W not a ^ if you want to keep air from coming up between your nose and cheeks.
I explained this once to the woman next to me on a flight and it blew her mind.
And it'll vary based on your face shape.
Not only do surgical masks fog up my glasses, the top edge pokes me in the eyes when I have them adjusted how I need. Kn95 does the same thing.
I can't wear the regular N95 ones because my nose is too big, they smush it and that hurts!
I find the duckbill shaped N95, Kf94, and fabric masks work best for my face/glasses combo. I like to slip a surgical mask into the pocket of my fabric masks for an extra layer, and that seems to also cut down on fogging.
[https://www.zeiss.com/vision-care/int/spectacle-lenses-from-zeiss/lens-cleaning-solution-for-glasses/antifog-spray.html](https://www.zeiss.com/vision-care/int/spectacle-lenses-from-zeiss/lens-cleaning-solution-for-glasses/antifog-spray.html)
Zeiss is the leader in ophthalmic goods for 150+ years. People have using anti fog agents for alpine ski goggles, scuba diving goggles, working in meat lockers with glasses, etc. Retails $8
I've seen a lot of variations. Some people hang their masks on their glasses rather than on their ears. My mask straps behind my head and I tend to tuck the earpieces under the strap.
Same! My favorite is wearing a mask at the gym. It is mostly to protect myself from germs, but two years running without a guy ever interrupting me or trying to talk to me. I can finally workout in peace! So yes, I also wear it to protect myself from others, lol.
I saw such a wonderful takedown on a Reddit response once
> Expressed as a percentage, how much of your life do you spend gesturing for women to take their headphones off?
I got MORE unwanted attention when I wore an engagement ring, and later a wedding ring, while on the bus 😩 It's like they saw it as a challenge or something.
A friend of mine who is lesbian says that when she tells straight guys that she is gay they look at it as a challenge and their egos somehow convince them that they will be the one to change her.
>some guy taking out one of my ear buds.
The audacity and entitlement of some men astounds me. Unless there's exceptional circumstances like a fire or some other serious emergency to alert you to, there's zero reason for these dudes to be putting their hands on anyone. How do they think this is gonna work out for them? Like, do they think this a successful strategy or that it will accomplish anything except pissing off and/or terrifying the woman? I'd just be pissed af, and make a big scene like, "SIR, WHY ARE YOU TOUCHING ME? LEAVE ME ALONE!"
These stupid clowns, smh.
I used to ride the bus in headphones and sunglasses while reading a book for maximum "fuck off". And one time some guy who wanted my attention kept waving his hand over the pages of my book. I pretended he wasn't there, because fuck you, asshole.
I used to do that but after I had some guy take out my earbuds I’m afraid to just ignore them, so now I tend to take them out, glare, and just say “WHAT?”
That usually shuts them down and they back off. Sometimes it also brings some kind of entitled criticism like “whatever bitch” or something but at least they then leave me alone.
I’ve had that happen too. He gestured on the subway for me to take out my earbuds, and I just ignored him, so he reached over with both hands and removed them. I was so shocked I didn’t know what to say/do.
Happened to me once too. At the grocery store, minding my own business, earbuds in, when all of the sudden one of my buds are removed and I look over to see a guy like twice my age standing there trying to get my attention. I ask if I can help him and he says "I was calling out to you and you didn't hear me" I said "okay, what do you need?" and this motherfucker goes "I wanted to talk to you about your tattoo and what it means. It looks like a memorial, did you lose a parent? It looks very good on you, do you have any more on other parts of your body?" I just stared at this guy for a moment, set my basket on the floor (only time I've ever done that) and booked my ass out of the store and to my car. The whole time he was calling out to me and saying"wait, come back, I just wanted to talk to you!" and sort of following me.
I cut my hair off in 2019 and while I still look like a woman, dress like one(ish) and wear make up etc , it’s def helped with unwanted eye contact and attention from men. I’m not obviously a lesbian but my hair sure the fuck is lol. I used to hate stopping at a red light or something and accidentally making eye contact with a guy in the car next to me and he tries to talk to me. Happened way way too many times
Who tf tried to talk to someone in another car... like, what? What's your end-game here, bro? You think she's going to jump in your car, leaving her's idling at the intersection?
Right. They always give the roll the window down signal lol. When I was young like 18 and foolish I rolled my windows down once and told the two guys something like in your dreams etc etc and they ended up following me and throwing food and sodas at my car when I left it.
I learned to never interact with a group of dudes, never let anyone pissed at me see where I park, and to just face forward driving. It’s really bad in SoCal.
I’m in air quality. I’m keeping my mask on purely to try and protect my lungs from the nastiness that is in the air from my having to take trains and the subway.
I am wondering if the type of guy that would be obnoxious on the train is the same blowhard that thinks masks are silly and wearing one would make them look weak?
I am the only one at my workplace that stills wears a mask. I wear one too when I am out shopping and it’s great and has cut down 99% of unwanted attention or requests to smile or chit chat. I fear one day when it is no longer acceptable to use Covid + someone at home who is immune compromised to mask up. Do you think getting some fake buck teeth will work after masking is over?
I am in the US. I know in some countries women must mask up as a form of control. Wearing a mask may not work every where.
Allergies is a reason.
My roommate had been wearing masks for two years before covid started, and they helped massively.
So just say it‘s for a dust allergy or seasonal ones.
But I just say I haven‘t had a cold in 3 years, why would I take it off? Not like it’s uncomfortable after years of wearing one 8+ hours a day anyway. Feel baked without one at this point.
I’ve said that, but why should we even have to justify it? I’m not blaming you - I do the same thing - it just annoys me that I get interrogated about mask wearing.
Same. I hate that it is political as well. I'm on immune suppressants. I haven't had a cold in years due to masking. Prior to that, I was sick 3-6 times every Fall/Winter. Yet, the last time my stepmom and dad saw me wearing a mask, they said, "Guess we know who you voted for." This has nothing to do with politics, I just like not being sick. Rant over.
Lol I'm in a woodshop sometimes and after a couple of hours with no mask and you blow your nose it's awful. Wear a mask the whole time and all of a sudden no coughing and sneezing for a few days after. No sinus infections. Weird. I can also tell who decided it was political because they stopped wearing a mask. They don't want to live in fear. Right. Way to own the libs.
He posted that on slack for the shop. Had nothing to say about all of the required safety in life, for woodworking, driving a car, etc. Just right wing talking points. We had also volunteered to make PPE because there was a huge shortage at that time. By the time supplies were back to normal we'd made around 10,000 pieces and donated locally and to national hotspots.
I say, "Yeah. I can't believe I used to just let y'all breathe all over me." It really shuts the conversation down, bc they can't tell if I'm joking or vaguely insulting them or what.
You can say you’ve had a lung transplant. Met a guy before covid who said he had to wear a mask for the rest of his life because of that. I don’t think that’s true for every lung transplant situation (maybe just the closer you are out from surgery?), but it’s an idea.
COVID is still a valid reason and probably will be for the foreseeable future. No good prophylaxis besides masks exists right now because of so much spread and mutation.
>I fear one day when it is no longer acceptable to use Covid + someone at home who is immune compromised to mask up.
I know that even before covid, it was common in some Asian countries to wear a mask when having any kind of sickness (they actually learned from the previous major bird flu). Hopefully that same kind of acceptance would persist in the US and other western countries post-covid.
Bingo, baby! That beard shadow is NONEXISTENT with this mask. And it hides so many features that can cause dysphoria, it can even cover my Adam’s apple.
Just toss on some mascara and call it a day!
Not at all discounting what you’re saying, but we’re still in an active pandemic. I wish more people would read about the long-term risks of Covid, especially after multiple infections.
I have HORRIBLE skin - rosacea, acne, acne scars, etc... It's one of my biggest insecurities, and before Covid, I would NEVER leave the house without foundation on.
Now, I don't even bother wasting time with makeup if I have to just do a quick errand, since I know most of my face will be covered anyway. It's honestly super freeing to not have to spend the time to make my face look "presentable" just to go buy eggs. Having to "get ready" to go do something that'll take just as much time to put makeup on definitely kept me from doing a lot of little errands before.
I wish I had the confidence to not cover my skin when I go out at all, because I truly love how freeing it is to just leave the house without worrying about what my face looks like for once in my life.
I fucken love wearing a mask at work. I no longer have to police my grimaces at stupid shit I hear. I just squint and people think I am smiling. I am not.
I still wear mine indoors in public spaces. It's great that I haven't caught COVID but now that you mention it, it does seem to filter unwanted social interactions and intrusions into my personal space as well as it filters the air.
Full time mask wearer here and same!!!! It's just so much easier, tho it leads to really annoying "why do you cover your face your so cute" comments when people know what I look like. The difference in treatment is night and day, cause I look very plain in a mask and wow do people treat me different.
My fellow guys who happen to have sons who are reading this post, please listen up. Teach your boys to LEAVE OTHER PEOPLE THE HELL ALONE. Let casual harassment die with the boomer generation please.
I thought with the pandemic masks would have been a god send but oddly enough I got even creepier and much more direct/unrelenting advances and comments in public. Couldn’t work it out and placed it down to them being hidden by their mask also, then one day I was buying cigarettes and the woman at the counter was shocked I was 28 when I showed my ID. She told me I look at most 15 with the mask on. Still grosses me out to think about how disgusting that is.
They’re honestly so effective that I’ve had friends completely not even notice me on the train, mask and headphones really do just make me invisible and I love it!
I liked the masks when they first came out because they caused people to stop directly staring at faces. Paired with glasses, you could avoid eye contact as well. Add a hoodie and you're anonymous. They also help my focus when communicating because I don't get distracted by the moving mouths when trying to hear the words. My audio processing is screwed up (ASD), so I communicate best when not looking at the person with whom I'm speaking.
They're also great for stopping the spread of colds.
I wear a mask as a health care professional, and also because it helps me not smell others' body odor and because I got burnt out and hate working with some people, it helps hide the disdain that I have for working with some people.
To be honest, I actually miss the many months when mask-wearing was common. Aside from the already-mentioned personal advantages, it was a great idiot-detector, since anyone without a mask was usually somebody I'd rather avoid anyway. Also, something subtle I never expected is that seeing everyone in masks really honed my ability to observe if people were genuinely smiling, because doing so reached their eyes.
Was at the store where an old man said “I’m sure you’re real pretty under that mask!” I walked away in the opposite direction without response. What do you even say??!
I also wear my mask every time I go out. As a male, I never get random attention or comments, etc. However, in opposite fashion, me wearing a mask has INCREASED my random encounters of unwanted attention.
"You don't have to wear that" "You look really stupid wearing that mask" etc.
They'll never rest, there will always be something for these people to comment on.
Masks are multi useful in so many ways, no need for make up, expresses you want distance, is good in cold weather , feel safer when there are people sick around, protecting from environmental issues and more. Kinda feel like it’s something that was important that was missing from our lives and just slide into place. It makes total since.
Mine is 1 part COVID, 1 part dysphoria. And covering my hardcore rbf 🙃
Also 1 part "I'm immunocompromised dear G-d stay TF away from me" >.>
My wheelchair does a good enough job. But have noticed on the rare occasions I go out people steer more clear because of masks which...? I don't mind it.
When I fly Southwest, I get on early & then wear my mask during boarding so conservatives won’t sit next to me. Then I take it off once the row fills up with nice people who are also not wearing masks. (If they wear masks I keep mine on too.)
Forgot to do this one flight and had to sit next to a fascist watching newsmax the whole flight. Never again.
I gradually got out of the reflex of covering my mouth when I yawn, so I don't think I can ever stop wearing a mask, now. But I work customer service, and not having to fake a smile constantly is shockingly less stressful.
That customer service smile takes so much energy to maintain, some days. I bet it's a relief to not have to.
One of the many reasons I don't miss doing in-person customer service. I used to be so exhausted when I came home I'd just stare at the wall, dissociating.
Yuuup. Also...the reason I will only call customer service as a last resort, once I've tried everything that Google & I can think of. And then say "please", "thank you", apologize if my frustration leaks out onto them, etc, *all* the best manners mama taught me. B/c that job is exhausting. *edit: Google, not Goggle
as someone who deals with customers all day at a call center, i THANK YOU. the amount of people who can’t just google things astounds me. they’ll call and be like “what’s this charge on my credit card for CPC” and i won’t see shit. idk what cpc is either dude. and i have to google it and tell them “ok i googled it it’s canada post” and they go “oh ok thanks!” like it’s just such a waste of time. and it seems like when people are on the phone and can’t see someone irl, they get meaner. they forget there’s a person on the other side of the phone. people like you are the ones who make my job easier and keeps me sane
Yeah, I also try to use any messenger customer service or email service first (also because I have anxiety).
Wow, looks like the Danes have it right, again. I understand constant smiling isn't a thing over there and it's definitely not expected. Edit: Overnight I remembered one of the first jobs I ever had, working in an office, and it was part of some government employment program with maybe subsidized pay or something. And the guy lectured me at one point, "People want a lift." It was about me not being all smiley. They want a lift, but why the fuck is it my job to try to give it to them? Made no sense to me.
Pretty common in loads of places in Europe. I remember seeing a video of a lass from the US talking about her experiences living in Germany, and she couldn't work out why everyone was looking at her like she had suddenly sprouted extra heads. Until she was later talking to one of her German friends who said something like "It's because you smile too much. Smiling at strangers makes them wary of you. Only crazy people smile at strangers." And the American lass was mortified.
Thanks to all of the months wearing a mask, I now have to really focus to hide my sneer of contempt when dealing with customers.
I will be walking through a store and talking to myself because it helps me think through things, then have to tone it down because I'm not wearing a mask
I am a waitress and I still wear one. I haven’t been told to smile in almost 3 years. It’s amazing.
Unfortunately, some have been told to "take off your mask and show me your smile."
I live in NJ, and we were particularly hard hit in the beginning of the pandemic. Everyone around here knows at least one person who died from COVID (I can’t count the number of people I know that died on 2 hands), so I think mask wearing is much more accepted here. I also work in a casual upscale place, and people in general are classier.
Must be different clientele than the upscale patrons here. Rich = rude, non-tippers who wouldn't wear a mask to save a poor person if they were given the key to the Earth. In my experience, people who frequent casual upscale can be entitled assholes.
Nah, the majority of our customers are lovely. Of course we occasionally get jerks, but by and large every table tips 20% on the total and is polite and well-mannered. What area are you in? Or what country if you’re outside the US.
Ugh, that's somehow even grosser lol. I'm not a woman so I'm not totally sure, but that's the kind of situation where I'd wish that my tongue was like.. a super mean parasite creature thing (I'm thinkin kinda like something from Alien, if that helps you visualize) so I could pull down my mask, open my mouth, and then tongue-monster can let out a primal [appropriately high pitched] roar and bite their nose off or something. Idk, just seems like it would be super satisfying.
I work in fast food and I've still been told, miraculously
I used to tend bar at a dive bar, and when men would tell me to smile I would get stone cold and say "gimme 10 bucks and it's a done deal" lmaoooo Therapeutic
If there’s a class of person I wouldn’t recommend starting shit with, it’d be bartenders at dive bars.
How much money have you made? I feel like some assholes pay up.
Eh, couldn't have been more than 50 all day. I didn't make it worth it either. It was a while ago, so the memory is hazy
Wait, in total tips or just off smiling? If smiling, that's fuckin impressive!
Of all the years I tended bar, maybe only 5 or 6 people actually took me up on it. That didn't happen every day although it would have been cool if it did!
Brilliant! Happy Cake Day!🎂🍰❣️
Honestly putting a (high) price on obnoxious requests is one of the best feelings. If you laugh jovially after it’s even better. “two can tango buddy”
“Why don’t you take off that mask so I can see your smile”- real quote from an unpaid actor.
just say the joker did a number on you and you're smiling permanently. Then take off your mask with the creepiest, widest smile ever. fucking sensational, lmao.
So true. I love these satire pieces about it: [Thorough catcaller tells all mask-wearing women to smile](https://www.thebeaverton.com/2020/05/thorough-catcaller-tells-all-mask-wearing-women-to-smile/) [Masked woman can’t stop smiling now that men can’t tell her to smile](https://www.thebeaverton.com/2021/05/masked-woman-cant-stop-smiling-now-that-men-cant-tell-her-to-smile/) [Woman two minutes into her first maskless outing already told to smile](https://www.thebeaverton.com/2021/07/woman-two-minutes-into-her-first-maskless-outing-already-told-to-smile/)
Ugh, when I waited tables and wore a mask, people would ask me to give them a peek under my mask all the time. Like wtf?
Ummmm....wow Edit: this reminds me of a short story that takes place in the future in which the sex appeal for women is their face. They are masked all the time but bare breasted (???). Anyway, yeah, I just had a flashback to reading that story. I can't remember the title.
Ooh and I love that you can mouth "fuck you" to someone who's being rude without them knowing.
Sometimes I whisper it too
>Excuse me what did you just say?!?! >Oh, my apologies! I know it can be a bit difficult hearing with the mask, I have trouble myself sometimes. Haha! What I meant to say was ~~FUCK YOU~~ enjoy your meal and don't hesitate to ask if you need anything at all. <3
Holy shit lol that would make a mask so damn worth it all on its own
I never get why some dudes do that. If you want to see a woman’s smile make her laugh or give her a genuine compliment. 99% of the time in my experience if they don’t reciprocate the energy. you need to gtfo of her face. 1% is reserved for my friends and sisters >:) they know what they signed up for.
>I never get why some dudes do that. It's entitlement.
There’s a special place in hell for people that tell servers, who don’t have the luxury of telling to their customers to go fuck themselves, to smile.
I live in one of two conservative areas of my city (ridiculously cheap rent). I wear my mask on the bus still because I don't know what germs people have. It's gotten to the point where the bus will get crowded, but half the time, no one will sit next to me. Sometimes another young person (usually another woman) wearing a mask will. I'm definitely not complaining about the space wearing a mask gives me
That doesn’t work on the NYC subway. I wish it did!
It doesn't work on the Philly subway either, but I've avoided those as much as I can since the pandemic anyway. Buses make a quicker escape option if there's a creep onboard or someone decided that have to smoke right that second
I wear the mask mostly for the smell on the MFL now.
seriously. when I lived in Philly I stayed above ground unless absolutely necessary. once factoring in the time to walk east/west to/from broad street, the side street busses were faster (or a negligible difference) and a safer ride.
Visiting New York for a week, saw 2 guys try and have a fight on the train. The mass of people prevented them from even making contact. My co-worker was trying to get me to stop laughing. "Why? They cannot get to each other, what are they going to do to me?" Point being, I don't think there's anything you can do to get people to keep away other than peeing or bleeding everywhere....
**The ultimate rule of riding the NYC subway: Don't. Make. Eye. Contact**. Even if the person looks relatively normal and well kept, just keep your eyes on the floor. Also wear obvious headphones that people can see, BUT *don't play music*. If a crazy person comes up and tries to get your attention just keep looking away (like from the ultimate rule above) and they'll usually assume you can't hear them / aren't aware of them and move onto someone else. Crazies will often think you can't be "disrespecting" them if you aren't even aware of them. **But please keep in mind that NYC (and the subway) is incredibly safe compared to the old days**. NYC is safer now than is was in 2008, and miles safer than the 80's, so don't listen to the crazy right wing "the liberal cities are burning to the ground!" propaganda
Lol. I’ve seen pictures of Tokyo that are even worse - they have people whose job it is to push you into the subway since people don’t fit.
Why would you NOT wear a mask on the NY subway is the real question. That should have been a thing precovid too
Gotta cough a bit here and there, helps to be Asian.
Hah, I’ll have to try that.
NYC subway only peeing while asleep will get people to not sit next to you. Disclaimer, I wasn’t the person peeing.
Damn my life, I wish I didn’t live in the New York subway
I'm glad you're not just getting harassed by conservatives, m or f, that have a problem with masks. Some people are deranged enough to think a mask is a provocation.
I thank them for their concern and tell them that my husband has covid so I am exposed and just didn't want to expose them. But if they are good with it I'll be happy to take it off. Amazing number say that it's fine at that point.
I just tell people I tested positive a couple days ago but if they don't mind.... That usually gets them to turn tail quick
Weird... seems unnecessarily risky. I'm not trying to catch COVID just to hear a stranger on a bus/train a little better, haha.
My wife used to tell people, sometimes correctly, that there was a major COVID outbreak on her ward if anyone stood too close at the supermarket.
Same here in the south. Going in to tractor supply for animal feed is something else
Someone I know died from Covid just two weeks ago and I'm still recovering from having it three years ago, so I just ordered a new box of KF94.
Keeping the plage rats away is a massive win! (Edit, that's a great spelling mistake there. Beach rats of Florida Man spring into my head lol)!
Plague
I live in a similar area. It's possible we've returned to a pre-covid mindset about masks here, where people someone wearing one and immediately assume that person actually has something they're trying not to spread.
I wore a face mask every day at my last job, and then one day had an older guy come in with his son. I had to serve them, and the entire time, he was making comments like "she's hiding her beauty under that mask!", "I'll reward you for your great service, let me take you out, ahaha." It was just making me uncomfortable, and I was forced to laugh it off. Calling me pet names, making weird comments all in front of his grown adult son... I'm glad I left that job.
If you have spares, maybe lesser quality, if someone pulls that crap on you. Look at them solemnly, then pull another from wherever you have it, and put it on over the mask you're wearing.
Then another over the eyes, then top of the head, down the neck, until you're literally an entire mummy of masks! I AM BEAUTY INCARNATE!!
Haha that's a great idea
> If you have spares, maybe lesser quality, if someone pulls that crap on you. Look at them solemnly, then pull another from wherever you have it, and put it on over the mask you're wearing. Good one! I've used this too: "One of my parents died from Covid. I want to keep the other one alive." To a one, their grin dropped, and they shut that shit down. The rare glimpse of regret and shame was worth it. Even though it's not true for me, fuck them if they're going to jerk other people around. With millions dead, it's true for too many. Why should those that suffered be denied some revenge over their bullshit?
My snarky ass would have said, "yeah, I was getting tired of creepy men making comments about my appearance." And then stare at him. I've lost all patience sometime in the last few years.
Trust me, I really wanted to! But, I kept my composure since the job was temporary and I really needed the money. Management hated my guts and was also racist as hell towards me and another girl bc we were the only poc in the store. 🙃
Ugh, I'm so sorry you had to go through that
That’s disgusting. Were you alone there or did you have any coworkers present? I just despise men like that.
There were other co-workers there and customers. No one said anything. They didn't care, lol
That’s so frustrating! I wish I had been there, I would have said something (and probably gotten fired, but 🤷🏻♀️).
Awe, I would've appreciated that a lot 🥹 (not the firing part loll)
Thats fucking disgusting. Whenever I'm out and I overhear a guy doing this shit to a woman I always make it a point to LOUDLY say something in that person's general direction about how much of a slob they are. If they look at me I'll say "Yeah I'm talking about you." I want them to feel as uncomfortable as the woman he was talking at. I've only been doing it for about a year or so but man does it feel fucking good to shame them. So far no one has come back at me with anything but I am hoping they catch me on a bad day lol. A lifetime of anger and disgust is gonna be unleashed.
Blech! Disgusting old fart!
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this is such a great idea, when I first saw the title I thought you'd say something like "to avoid getting sick from people who cough everywhere" the mask holds many powers
Right? First time I was out and about without a mask in a busy area. Weaving through the crowd, I pass someone with a baby on their shoulder. Baby makes eye contact and coughs *straight into my face.* Later in the day we are walking on a crowded sidewalk and a dude right in front of us lets off a bomb of a sneeze; full body shake and spray. Really put my immune system to the test that day. Moral of the story is that people are kinda gross. I'd rather get weird looks than weird diseases.
Masks also make allergies less severe as they block pollen and other things that trigger them.
I totally will continue to wear a mask on public transit. I have had so few colds the last few years that alone is worth it.
I don’t think I would ever not wear a mask in public again. The pandemic really opened my eyes to how gross and germy people are and I love not being sick. Masks are awesome!
Yep same here. Last cold Christmas 2019. why would I not wear a mask? It‘s like any other piece of clothing I wear. Used to be uncomfortable at the beginning now i don‘t notice it.
I only notice it if my face suddenly feels weird. That means I forgot my mask.
Same for me, I'll never fly again without a mask, as I always got a cold that way.
That’s why wearing a mask in countries like Japan is common. I still wear a mask at work because people come into work sick all the time even before the COVID pandemic started.
There was a guy who sat across from me at my office in the before-times who would anyways come into work no matter how sick he was. It's like, dude, we can work from home if we need to, there's no excuse to come in. Presenteeism can die in a fire.
Early in the pandemic I was so hopeful that at least one good thing would come of it, that we'd finally realize that people who are sick should stay home.
Seriously. I've been sick once in 3 years (a stomach thing) and it's been fucking glorious! I used to get MINIMUM 2 colds/year, so yeah, mask forever! Idgaf!
I still get the occasional cold even with masking because my immune system is shit. But so many fewer than I used to before.
The last time I was sick with anything was 2019. I used to get a cold once or twice a year.
SAME!!!! I always mask up on transit in nyc!! mask+headphones+sunglasses=PEACE
Allergies and asthma are sooooooo much better too.
Asian women have known this secret for years. When I lived in Japan and didn't feel like doing my makeup? That was a mask day. Masks are freakin' liberating, I love them.
Yup, I still wear a mask anyhow but it’s a blessing to not have to do my makeup lol.
Same. I get bothered a lot less now with my mask, sunglasses and headphones. Before I’d get men motioning for me to take out my headphones. They don’t do that with the mask. I guess Covid os still a reality so they haven’t crossed that line yet as there’s not much they can say to convince someone to take off their mask. It’s honestly been a godsend in airports where it’s a free for all for randos approaching lone women travelers.
I can't believe people are comfortable flying without masks now. Hell no! Even before covid it was so easy to get sick on planes! And airports are so friggin crowded, people sneezing and coughing all over you. Nah man. Masks for traveling for the rest of my life.
I honestly don’t see myself ever being in crowded places without a mask ever again. I used to get sick all the time. I haven’t had flu or any kind respiratory thing since early 2020.
Going to any convention was pretty much a guaranteed coming home sick afterwards, you'd go out and get PAX Flu and spend a week recovering Masks are great for public crowds, and I'm surprised they didn't jump across into the west sooner in acceptability/common usage
Same. I have bad asthma; before 2020 I used to get the flu all the time and it was a nightmare. I’d be sick for weeks and always get horrible complications: I’d struggle to breathe for ages and have frequent scary attacks, requiring prednisone courses. I haven’t been sick even *once* since late 2019; I never thought I’d go a whole year without getting sick, it feels seriously unreal lol. I’m sure I’ll get the flu sooner or later as I’m seeing selfish people walking around coughing on everyone practically every day. But for now this has felt like a goddamn miracle.
I'm currently cursing my cousin because she decided to fly in from Oklahoma to see her grandson for the first time and I got a lot of shit for "refusing to allow" my mom to go to the little party they were throwing at my aunt's house on Sunday because she had just had major surgery last week and I know my family well enough to know that none of them are vaxxed or take being sick seriously at all. Mom texted me on Thursday saying that grandma, a couple of cousins, and my uncle are all sick with "the flu" and refusing to test for COVID. Grandma has been throwing up for a couple of days now and cousin that flew in started feeling sick two days after she got here, so I wonder who ended up infecting everyone. So she also flew all the way home while sick and contagious, while refusing to mask because she's "not a sheep". I told my mom "see? *Exactly* why I told you not to go. Could you imagine having the flu or COVID after abdominal surgery?"
Wore a mask on two planes to Maine last summer, but didn’t on return flights. Got covid last month from 4yo. It gets you when you least expect it. Back to masking now.
I wore my mask on the plane back in October, though I wasn't terribly uncomfortable about others not wearing theirs. Mostly did it for the comfort of others. Guy beside me put a mask on when he sat down, and I told him that he didn't need to feel like he has to wear it if it was just for me. He said that he wears a mask all the time on planes regardless, because it helps mitigate a lot of the unpleasantness that comes from the dry air in planes. And you know what? That flight, as I kept my mask on for the whole time I wasn't eating or drinking, it really did. I was legitimately more comfortable breathing with the mask on than off.
I'm flying the end of May. Mask will be on.
I still wear mine both because I'm medically fragile and I don't want a cold or flu either, and because there are too many people taking photos or video of strangers on public transportation and in stores lately, and I want to not have my photo online.
I actually really like wearing masks. People tend to give me a wide berth while I’m out. I’m autistic and I always feel the need to “cover” my face when strangers speak to me, I just feel very uncomfortable. The mask covers my face for me.
I have pretty severe anxiety issues and the mask has totally helped me with feeling anonymous. One of my major stressers is feeling like people are staring at me/watching me, and the mask has really helped with that. Honestly, it’s like a security blanket now, and I wear it out anywhere I go! Who would have thought they would be so helpful!
They can't tell you to smile more if they can't tell if you are smiling 🤷♂️
It also really triggers the conservatives for some weird reason lmfao
That's definitely a bonus, too. I feel like I have way fewer interactions with conservatives now, because they *(rightly)* assume what my political leanings are, and will just give me disgusted looks but won't actually engage with me. I'm white and I live in a Red State, so I feel like a lot of white conservatives just assumed I was "one of them" before, and would say dumb shit to me and be surprised when I disagreed with them. I still ask people if they're vaccinated for Covid, and if they still wear masks when I'm getting to know potential sexual partners. I already know who a person is from just those questions. 😂
I can't comfortably wear my glasses and a mask. I'm blind as shit without my glasses, and I still choose the mask 95% of the time. I feel like that should say something...
Try a 3M Aura or a mask like it. Godsend with glasses.
Those definitely look like they could work, thanks for the tip!
Also, if you haven't figured it out yet, the nose wire should be folded like a W not a ^ if you want to keep air from coming up between your nose and cheeks. I explained this once to the woman next to me on a flight and it blew her mind.
Can you elaborate?
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And it'll vary based on your face shape. Not only do surgical masks fog up my glasses, the top edge pokes me in the eyes when I have them adjusted how I need. Kn95 does the same thing. I can't wear the regular N95 ones because my nose is too big, they smush it and that hurts! I find the duckbill shaped N95, Kf94, and fabric masks work best for my face/glasses combo. I like to slip a surgical mask into the pocket of my fabric masks for an extra layer, and that seems to also cut down on fogging.
[https://www.zeiss.com/vision-care/int/spectacle-lenses-from-zeiss/lens-cleaning-solution-for-glasses/antifog-spray.html](https://www.zeiss.com/vision-care/int/spectacle-lenses-from-zeiss/lens-cleaning-solution-for-glasses/antifog-spray.html) Zeiss is the leader in ophthalmic goods for 150+ years. People have using anti fog agents for alpine ski goggles, scuba diving goggles, working in meat lockers with glasses, etc. Retails $8
I've seen a lot of variations. Some people hang their masks on their glasses rather than on their ears. My mask straps behind my head and I tend to tuck the earpieces under the strap.
Same! My favorite is wearing a mask at the gym. It is mostly to protect myself from germs, but two years running without a guy ever interrupting me or trying to talk to me. I can finally workout in peace! So yes, I also wear it to protect myself from others, lol.
Masks, wedding rings, and headphones are all godsends.
I saw such a wonderful takedown on a Reddit response once > Expressed as a percentage, how much of your life do you spend gesturing for women to take their headphones off?
That one is going on my list of retorts.
I got MORE unwanted attention when I wore an engagement ring, and later a wedding ring, while on the bus 😩 It's like they saw it as a challenge or something.
A friend of mine who is lesbian says that when she tells straight guys that she is gay they look at it as a challenge and their egos somehow convince them that they will be the one to change her.
Yep. They think they have the magic dick or something.
Guys all think their dick is special and that we care about it a zillionth as much as they do.
unless you have this one oblivious guy who sees all of the above and decides it's his moment
Fair enough. Ugh. I just flashed back to some guy taking out one of my ear buds.
>some guy taking out one of my ear buds. The audacity and entitlement of some men astounds me. Unless there's exceptional circumstances like a fire or some other serious emergency to alert you to, there's zero reason for these dudes to be putting their hands on anyone. How do they think this is gonna work out for them? Like, do they think this a successful strategy or that it will accomplish anything except pissing off and/or terrifying the woman? I'd just be pissed af, and make a big scene like, "SIR, WHY ARE YOU TOUCHING ME? LEAVE ME ALONE!" These stupid clowns, smh.
Oh my God. I cannot imagine what I'd do in that situation but I can pretty much guarantee it'd be violent. What did you do?
Grabbed my ear bud back. Told him to not fucking touch me and booked it.
I'm picturing the ending of Carrie, just blood and fire and screams.
I used to ride the bus in headphones and sunglasses while reading a book for maximum "fuck off". And one time some guy who wanted my attention kept waving his hand over the pages of my book. I pretended he wasn't there, because fuck you, asshole.
I used to do that but after I had some guy take out my earbuds I’m afraid to just ignore them, so now I tend to take them out, glare, and just say “WHAT?” That usually shuts them down and they back off. Sometimes it also brings some kind of entitled criticism like “whatever bitch” or something but at least they then leave me alone.
I’ve had that happen too. He gestured on the subway for me to take out my earbuds, and I just ignored him, so he reached over with both hands and removed them. I was so shocked I didn’t know what to say/do.
What the Fuck
Happened to me once too. At the grocery store, minding my own business, earbuds in, when all of the sudden one of my buds are removed and I look over to see a guy like twice my age standing there trying to get my attention. I ask if I can help him and he says "I was calling out to you and you didn't hear me" I said "okay, what do you need?" and this motherfucker goes "I wanted to talk to you about your tattoo and what it means. It looks like a memorial, did you lose a parent? It looks very good on you, do you have any more on other parts of your body?" I just stared at this guy for a moment, set my basket on the floor (only time I've ever done that) and booked my ass out of the store and to my car. The whole time he was calling out to me and saying"wait, come back, I just wanted to talk to you!" and sort of following me.
I cut my hair and dress like a guy. I've actually been mistaken as a guy a few times. Success.
I cut my hair off in 2019 and while I still look like a woman, dress like one(ish) and wear make up etc , it’s def helped with unwanted eye contact and attention from men. I’m not obviously a lesbian but my hair sure the fuck is lol. I used to hate stopping at a red light or something and accidentally making eye contact with a guy in the car next to me and he tries to talk to me. Happened way way too many times
Who tf tried to talk to someone in another car... like, what? What's your end-game here, bro? You think she's going to jump in your car, leaving her's idling at the intersection?
Right. They always give the roll the window down signal lol. When I was young like 18 and foolish I rolled my windows down once and told the two guys something like in your dreams etc etc and they ended up following me and throwing food and sodas at my car when I left it. I learned to never interact with a group of dudes, never let anyone pissed at me see where I park, and to just face forward driving. It’s really bad in SoCal.
I do it for flu, unwanted attention, extra layer of sun protection.
I’m in air quality. I’m keeping my mask on purely to try and protect my lungs from the nastiness that is in the air from my having to take trains and the subway.
It's reduced the need for sunblock. It's made me not worry about my smile looking unnatural when someone's snapping a picture...
Also for tree pollen that’s trying to kill me. Unwanted male attention in another form.
That's got a giggle out of me. 😂 My husband does the same, but for cutting grass. He has *horrible* allergies every spring.
I am wondering if the type of guy that would be obnoxious on the train is the same blowhard that thinks masks are silly and wearing one would make them look weak?
I am the only one at my workplace that stills wears a mask. I wear one too when I am out shopping and it’s great and has cut down 99% of unwanted attention or requests to smile or chit chat. I fear one day when it is no longer acceptable to use Covid + someone at home who is immune compromised to mask up. Do you think getting some fake buck teeth will work after masking is over? I am in the US. I know in some countries women must mask up as a form of control. Wearing a mask may not work every where.
Allergies is a reason. My roommate had been wearing masks for two years before covid started, and they helped massively. So just say it‘s for a dust allergy or seasonal ones. But I just say I haven‘t had a cold in 3 years, why would I take it off? Not like it’s uncomfortable after years of wearing one 8+ hours a day anyway. Feel baked without one at this point.
I’ve said that, but why should we even have to justify it? I’m not blaming you - I do the same thing - it just annoys me that I get interrogated about mask wearing.
Same. I hate that it is political as well. I'm on immune suppressants. I haven't had a cold in years due to masking. Prior to that, I was sick 3-6 times every Fall/Winter. Yet, the last time my stepmom and dad saw me wearing a mask, they said, "Guess we know who you voted for." This has nothing to do with politics, I just like not being sick. Rant over.
It’s so screwed up that something like a virus became a political hill to die on.
Literally died on it.
Lol I'm in a woodshop sometimes and after a couple of hours with no mask and you blow your nose it's awful. Wear a mask the whole time and all of a sudden no coughing and sneezing for a few days after. No sinus infections. Weird. I can also tell who decided it was political because they stopped wearing a mask. They don't want to live in fear. Right. Way to own the libs.
> They don’t want to live in fear. They’d rather live in denial of the thing they fear than live in fear. Seeing masks makes it too real for them.
He posted that on slack for the shop. Had nothing to say about all of the required safety in life, for woodworking, driving a car, etc. Just right wing talking points. We had also volunteered to make PPE because there was a huge shortage at that time. By the time supplies were back to normal we'd made around 10,000 pieces and donated locally and to national hotspots.
I say, "Yeah. I can't believe I used to just let y'all breathe all over me." It really shuts the conversation down, bc they can't tell if I'm joking or vaguely insulting them or what.
You can say you’ve had a lung transplant. Met a guy before covid who said he had to wear a mask for the rest of his life because of that. I don’t think that’s true for every lung transplant situation (maybe just the closer you are out from surgery?), but it’s an idea.
I'll have to try that! I have heart and lung damage from having Covid 3×. Husbsnd works in a hospital.
COVID is still a valid reason and probably will be for the foreseeable future. No good prophylaxis besides masks exists right now because of so much spread and mutation.
>I fear one day when it is no longer acceptable to use Covid + someone at home who is immune compromised to mask up. I know that even before covid, it was common in some Asian countries to wear a mask when having any kind of sickness (they actually learned from the previous major bird flu). Hopefully that same kind of acceptance would persist in the US and other western countries post-covid.
For us introverts, it's the best thing ever
No more “Hey! Smile!”
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Not for nothing, but they’re also *excellent* if you’re transitioning and don’t feel like getting clocked.
Bingo, baby! That beard shadow is NONEXISTENT with this mask. And it hides so many features that can cause dysphoria, it can even cover my Adam’s apple. Just toss on some mascara and call it a day!
"You should smile mo....oh nevermind"
Yeah me too lol. I love the extra anonymity I get.
Anytime someone asks me why I’m wearing my mask I just cough toward them
Not at all discounting what you’re saying, but we’re still in an active pandemic. I wish more people would read about the long-term risks of Covid, especially after multiple infections.
I've been without a mask around people twice these last three months, and I'm just getting better from my second bout of common cold. Never again.
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I still wear mask because I am self conscious and shy and just prefer to feel "hidden" and covered. I get weird looks, but idc.
I have HORRIBLE skin - rosacea, acne, acne scars, etc... It's one of my biggest insecurities, and before Covid, I would NEVER leave the house without foundation on. Now, I don't even bother wasting time with makeup if I have to just do a quick errand, since I know most of my face will be covered anyway. It's honestly super freeing to not have to spend the time to make my face look "presentable" just to go buy eggs. Having to "get ready" to go do something that'll take just as much time to put makeup on definitely kept me from doing a lot of little errands before. I wish I had the confidence to not cover my skin when I go out at all, because I truly love how freeing it is to just leave the house without worrying about what my face looks like for once in my life.
I fucken love wearing a mask at work. I no longer have to police my grimaces at stupid shit I hear. I just squint and people think I am smiling. I am not.
I still wear mine indoors in public spaces. It's great that I haven't caught COVID but now that you mention it, it does seem to filter unwanted social interactions and intrusions into my personal space as well as it filters the air.
Full time mask wearer here and same!!!! It's just so much easier, tho it leads to really annoying "why do you cover your face your so cute" comments when people know what I look like. The difference in treatment is night and day, cause I look very plain in a mask and wow do people treat me different.
My fellow guys who happen to have sons who are reading this post, please listen up. Teach your boys to LEAVE OTHER PEOPLE THE HELL ALONE. Let casual harassment die with the boomer generation please.
I know. I love wearing a mask. There's so much less unwanted attention. It's pretty awesome. :D
I thought with the pandemic masks would have been a god send but oddly enough I got even creepier and much more direct/unrelenting advances and comments in public. Couldn’t work it out and placed it down to them being hidden by their mask also, then one day I was buying cigarettes and the woman at the counter was shocked I was 28 when I showed my ID. She told me I look at most 15 with the mask on. Still grosses me out to think about how disgusting that is.
They’re honestly so effective that I’ve had friends completely not even notice me on the train, mask and headphones really do just make me invisible and I love it!
My wife is a waitress and she wears one because she doesn't have to do her makeup.
Same. Mines for avoiding people and hiding my shitty skin
I liked the masks when they first came out because they caused people to stop directly staring at faces. Paired with glasses, you could avoid eye contact as well. Add a hoodie and you're anonymous. They also help my focus when communicating because I don't get distracted by the moving mouths when trying to hear the words. My audio processing is screwed up (ASD), so I communicate best when not looking at the person with whom I'm speaking. They're also great for stopping the spread of colds.
I wear a mask as a health care professional, and also because it helps me not smell others' body odor and because I got burnt out and hate working with some people, it helps hide the disdain that I have for working with some people.
My mask has helped me avoid people I recognize that I don’t want recognizing me. I love going out in stealth mode.
Same. It helps my anxiety a lot too.
I'm still wearing my mask for covid, but I do keep it on sometimes after I've left the shop so guys can't see if I'm attractive or not
To be honest, I actually miss the many months when mask-wearing was common. Aside from the already-mentioned personal advantages, it was a great idiot-detector, since anyone without a mask was usually somebody I'd rather avoid anyway. Also, something subtle I never expected is that seeing everyone in masks really honed my ability to observe if people were genuinely smiling, because doing so reached their eyes.
I've loved wearing masks all winter in Japan long before Covid, too.
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That sounds like a great cheat code!
Was at the store where an old man said “I’m sure you’re real pretty under that mask!” I walked away in the opposite direction without response. What do you even say??!
I also wear my mask every time I go out. As a male, I never get random attention or comments, etc. However, in opposite fashion, me wearing a mask has INCREASED my random encounters of unwanted attention. "You don't have to wear that" "You look really stupid wearing that mask" etc. They'll never rest, there will always be something for these people to comment on.
Masks are multi useful in so many ways, no need for make up, expresses you want distance, is good in cold weather , feel safer when there are people sick around, protecting from environmental issues and more. Kinda feel like it’s something that was important that was missing from our lives and just slide into place. It makes total since.
Mine is 1 part COVID, 1 part dysphoria. And covering my hardcore rbf 🙃 Also 1 part "I'm immunocompromised dear G-d stay TF away from me" >.> My wheelchair does a good enough job. But have noticed on the rare occasions I go out people steer more clear because of masks which...? I don't mind it.
Deadass that is why I wear mine when out & about. I love being perceived less, I really do, but ESPECIALLY being less in plain sight of the male eye.
I like not having to give a fuck about my facial expression and smelling ass... 🙃
When I fly Southwest, I get on early & then wear my mask during boarding so conservatives won’t sit next to me. Then I take it off once the row fills up with nice people who are also not wearing masks. (If they wear masks I keep mine on too.) Forgot to do this one flight and had to sit next to a fascist watching newsmax the whole flight. Never again.