This past year of enforced mask wearing has been really surreal to me. I've never worn one. Never owned one. I said from the beginning that I don't believe they are at all useful and in fact are detrimental to the cause the way the majority of people use them. Thorough hand washing and keeping out of people's space is more than enough. I can't participate in the theatre of something I truly believe is unhelpful to the pandemic.
They're apparently mandatory at my place of work, in shops, at my midwife appointments etc etc. I live in scotland where it feels like masks are going to stick around forever at this rate! I've never worn one and never been bothered by anyone about the fact that I don't wear one. I never lie about why I don't wear one. I decided as soon as they were made "mandatory" that if anyone asked why I wasn't wearing one, I would tell them.
I don't think enough people realise what happens when you don't wear one. Nothing really... it's not exciting. My life has carried on just the same. I wash my hands more diligently, keep away from people, and follow the same social restrictions as everyone else. But nothing bad happens if you disagree that masks are helpful.
I've name changed for this as the abuse I got off Mumsnetters for saying this at the beginning of the pandemic was really over the top. I notice now that a lot of people are saying to me that they wish they had taken a similar stand a year ago as now they feel they can't take off the masks for fear of... something. I don't know what.
It's truly been a bizarre experience to walk around maskless this entire time and still interact with people in the same way. No one has ever been nasty to me or been anything other than pleasant and chatty as normal. I've had a few people ask me why I don't wear one and their response has always been how they wish they'd stood their ground about it from day one too.
It's been a strange year. I'm glad to see restrictions gradually easing and normality on the horizon.