Whenever I post pictures of me and my favorite human on a date, someone has to be a dick with bad faith sealioning about our masks. There is no point engaging with these chuds, because all they want to do is waste my time and/or drag me and anyone else they can into an argument. (At some point, I began telling people, “What you’re trying to do takes two people. I’m not going to be one of them.” It’s been surprisingly effective.)
But a couple days ago, someone wasn’t a dick about it, and I took the opportunity to say what’s been on my mind about the whole stupid issue. I’m posting it here so I can refer to it when necessary (which I hope isn’t often).
Despite what you have heard, if you look past the headlines you’ll discover that Covid is very much still A Thing, and so is the flu, the common cold, and other respiratory illnesses. I started masking during the pandemic, because I didn’t want to get sick and die. I have kept masking when I’m in close proximity to other people, large crowds, or small indoor spaces because I haven’t had the flu or a cold or, gods forbid, Covid, since I made that choice. I have this particular strain of Epstein Barre in my body that makes every infection I get significantly worse than it would be on its own. It’s technically an autoimmune condition, and though it hasn’t made anything life threatening, it’s made me real miserable when I have gotten sick. And now I have a really simple way to minimize my risks, while I continue to enjoy sporting events, concerts, conventions, and all the things I didn’t realize I took for granted until Covid. It’s such a tiny, simple, thing and it makes a huge difference for me. It reduces my anxiety, and it just makes my quality of life better. And that shouldn’t matter, but getting all worked up about it is like getting all worked up about my glasses, which I wear so I can see clearly and enjoy my life. It really shouldn’t be any different.
It’s too bad that so many people have decided to make yet another personal health choice that is none of their business, that doesn’t affect them at all, just another part of their culture war. And it tells you everything you need to know about a person when they are a dick about it.
From a practical standpoint: I took this picture at the Flyers game. The guy next to me was coughing and sneezing his face off the whole game. It would have been so awesome and considerate if he’d worn a mask to protect all of us from whatever he had. But he didn’t. Whether it was just allergies, or a cold, or something more serious, with minimal effort and no disruption to him, I protected myself from someone who wasn’t protecting me. That’s basically why I wear a mask whenever I’m in a crowd, and why I wish it wasn’t such a big stupid deal (pro or against).
I see a lot of thank yous for wearing masks in our photos. I appreciate the kindness, but we aren’t making a statement. We aren’t modeling behavior. We are doing what is best for us, period. This isn’t a statement, it’s just a personal health choice. If it helps normalize the entire thing, I’m happy for that passive bonus, but it’s not something I’m spending an action or even a bonus action on.
I haven’t heard someone complain that I wear shoes into a restaurant, and I haven’t ever had someone thank me for wearing shoes in a restaurant. I hope it will be the same with masks, sooner than later. It’s nobody’s business, and the only people who are dicks about it are dicks about everything else, anyway. (There is a 100% chance that someone will show up here to be a dick about this. They can’t help it.)
I’m just tired of this being not just A Thing, but A Big Stupid Fucking Culture War Thing.
So. Mind your business, do what’s best for your health and in consideration of the health of those around you, and don’t be a dick.
Thanks for listening.
