For some, wearing a mask is liberating

Stamford Advocate ^ | March 11, 2021 Updated: March 11, 2021 5:50 p.m. | Petula Dvorak , The Washington Post

[conservative98]

A year into the pandemic, a lot has changed. And we're reminded of that every time we go outside (if we go outside). Masks have joined the traditional don't-leave-home-without-them trifecta of keys, wallets and phones - and they are here to stay.

There are folks who hate them, who can't breathe through them, or who think they're a sign of political oppression.

But for others, the widespread use of masks has made the past year one of liberation.

With a mask, you can sing in the grocery store, talk to yourself on a walk, grimace in the gym, leave the spinach in your teeth, have coffee breath, forget lipstick - and no one is the wiser. Oh, the savings on Altoids and L'Oréal this past year!

Folks on social media write little odes to the masked life:

"I love wearing a mask. I want to do this forever. It has helped my social anxiety so much."

And: "Wearing a mask is really letting me be ugly in peace. I love it here."

One librarian much loved by local kids on the West Coast said she loves being able to go to do errands without being recognized by her tiny fans.

Amid half a million lives lost, financial ruin and social devastation that the coronavirus has wrought there are teeny tiny glimmers of good things this cruel virus has left us. The normalized use of masks is one of them.

"I don't think I could ever go back to not wearing a mask," said Donna Bauer, a "40ish" Twitter maven in Orlando, Fla. (Masks hide the laugh lines, so why not run with it? "40ish" it is, Donna!)

[Mr. Jeeves]

Nobody is stopping them. Making it mandatory for people without social phobias is the problem.

[rbg81]

Yeah...if you’re ugly

[bramps]

Definitely liberating. It’s freed them from their brains.

[rbg81]

These are the same clowns who claim wearing a burka is “liberating”

[hoe_cake]

I believe masks offer insecure folks some security. OK, I get that. But the black visors are rude. We communicate so well with smiles and eyes. It’s a passive aggressive, and again, rude way of dealing with folks. Masks are a cop-out, imo.

[Big Red Badger]

May the Chains
Hang Lightly.

[Big Red Badger]

Look up;
Stanford Prison Experiment.

[lee martell]

Radio Host Dr. Laura used to say ;
“Don’t p**s and try to tell me it’s raining!”

[BenLurkin]

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

It does liberate one from encountering mask Karens. That’s the only reason I wear one.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Bkmrk

[drSteve78]

I’m guessing then that no one can read my lips when i am cursing at them maskers with a healthy relaxing silent F@@@ Y@@.

[Fai Mao]

I have a song I sing, “Mexico is calling, it’s calling for you! It’s the land you were born in, it’waiting or you. Can you you hear it, it’s calling and longing for you! The land of your birth, is waiting or you.

None of the illegals in the story can see me singing.

[MyDogAteMyBallot]

like not having a job during obamanomics was portrayed as an “opportunity” 🙄

[Howie66]

I can see that. There are those who prefer to live in confinement, having others tell them when to eat, when to sleep and when they can have a “quality” hour in the exercise yard. I get it.

For myself, I will take living free and being responsible for my family as well as myself.

Don’t Tread On Me.

[Howie66]

Not a good enough reason for me to wear one.

[cyclotic]

If such people really exist, moron is a good descriptive term.

[ClearCase_guy]

Reminds me of the old joke — “Well, aside from that, how was the theater, Mrs. Lincoln?”

Today:

“Aside from the tyranny and general oppression, how has the pandemic been for you?”
“Pretty awesome. I got to wear a mask.”

[conservative98]

Here’s why some people love masks and will keep wearing them. Are you one? https://t.co/xB4HeKGl34— Petula Dvorak (@petulad) March 12, 2021

I’ve really enjoyed not getting colds, not being recognized, and making faces at people under my mask. Mine will stay on my face forever.— Paula is bright (@paula_is_bright) March 12, 2021

Cold and Flu season will be totally different from here on. Will wear one every year. Also discovered the warmth benefit of wearing one when it was negative 15 here last month.— Lara Atwell (@lmatwell) March 12, 2021

Things I will never do again: sing happy birthday over a cake then eat it, shake hands, randomly hug friend's, and go without a mask!— carrie (@trooperMoo) March 12, 2021