The Five Faces of Mask

On April 27, 2020, I wrote, “Eventually, we all might be wearing masks …”

How could I have imagined that wearing a mask would mean so much to so many? But here we are, six months later. Mask-wearing is now mandatory. It is also (not unlike a cigar!) not just a mask.

Indeed, the mask has many faces. Below, are five of them (in no particular order):

The mask as political symbol. The virus itself has been politicized and the mask is its Number One visual signifier. As Donald Trump repeatedly states, you never see Joe Biden without a mask. You never see Trump with one —even after coming down with the virus himself. I try to avoid people who don’t wear masks, not because I judge them. I don’t want to get sick. I sometimes feel the urge to ask why not? I don’t, because I know it’s futile.

Could mask merchandise forecast the election, two weeks from now? An Amazon search for Trump 2020 face mask yielded 501 “results” compared to 417 for Biden 2020 face mask.

The mask as life saver. Wearing a mask makes me feel responsible. I’m doing my part. It never once occurred to me over these last many month to dismiss or disbelieve the scientists, especially with so much at stake. Seriously, why would Anthony Fauci lie about the possibility of this virus mutating and becoming potentially more infectious? And why wouldn’t we follow the CDC’s guidance regarding the simple things we can do as individuals to combat COVID-19? A key recommendation is to wear a mask.

The mask as nuisance. Who likes wearing a mask? I don’t! My face is so small, that even though I use children’s goggles when I swim, they leak. Similarly, most masks slide up my face. I can’t see. I can’t breathe. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, I’m not alone:

Many people hate the feel of masks on their faces, the way they muffle their voices and fog up their glasses. Some black men have argued masks pose their own dangers, particularly in settings where they are already discriminated against and viewed with distrust.