long. ranting. if you think this is about you and not just a critique it probably is.

just a reminder that not everyone you see not wearing a mask is an asshole. yes, #WearAMask because #CovidIsNotOver is great and the by and large incentive for everyone.

but not all #ActuallyAutistic #Autistic people can do enough densensitisation and exposure therapy and graduated trials to be able to get to the point of wearing a mask. other diagnoses too, certain individuals with PTSD (which I also have). there are, what I am saying, legitimate reasons to not be able to wear a mask.

I was able to adjust to a gaiter during the beginning of the pandemic, when anything was better than nothing. it didn't put pressure on my nose and it wasn't tight over my face. alas, those aren't actually sufcicient.

I can tolerate a paper surgical mask for about 10 to 15 minutes before I'm incredibly distressed, overwhelmed, and going into either meltdown or shutdown depending upon the day.

I can wear a KN95 mask for about five minutes and it still requires me to be medicated with Xanax in order to tolerate the sensation on my face and the trauma memories from last… everything overwhelms me and I end up dissociated. my best I've done with a KN95 is about half an hour or so. with Xanax.

I've tried so hard to mask.

and while I'm in recovery and remission from polysubstance use disorder, Xanax is not the solution. it's a good tool and I'm glad I have it available, and I'm not making up excuses to use it with this, making just really is that much hell for me.

so take your judgment and shove it back down your throat, or up your ass, or get the fuck away from me because your solutions leave me and mine and people in my situation as acceptable casualties, when in fact wear a mask is meant to protect people like me if enough of the sheeple would actually do it.

in order to have success in your exhortations you need to be a little bit more careful about what your messaging actually is, and who you're targeting, and who is going to actually see it and be impacted by it.

I still go to the absolute farthest place from people who aren't masking. I don't go anywhere if I'm actively sick but Gxd only knows how many times I've actually had COVID since half of the confirmed tests were because I had something I was going to and wanted to exercise precautions; I got it without it being immediately symptomatic.

and I've got long COVID from 3 (or more) asymptomatic infections and one pretty nasty round through it last October. I know the consequences of not masking.

but what I don't have is the economic privilege to stay home. my spouse is disabled too. we need food. we need to go to appointments, and due to medical needs and hearing loss. I need to do things at school. I need to do things with the department of rehabilitation.

so shove your trite bullshit where the sun don't shine.