Wearing a mask in solidarity?

[petesgirl]

I honestly wondered how it was in your part of the world! I’ve never seen our ward so divided. I blame the political and partisan tensions paired with not seeing each other in person for a year!

It's ugly. Actually, everyone in my particular area has been respectful and fairly easy to work with despite differences in feelings but Utah County and south, there are a lot of completely belligerent people. I may have left the church by now if I were in my parent's ward. LOL.

There are some people here who are angry that we still have a virtual option for 2nd hour because we are "enabling people's irrational fears". That's an actual quote from someone I know.

[bisous]

It's ugly. Actually, everyone in my particular area has been respectful and fairly easy to work with despite differences in feelings but Utah County and south, there are a lot of completely belligerent people. I may have left the church by now if I were in my parent's ward. LOL.

There are some people here who are angry that we still have a virtual option for 2nd hour because we are "enabling people's irrational fears". That's an actual quote from someone I know.

Oh my. I can imagine this because some of these views are in my FB feed unfortunately. I'm glad you've got good people around you. I'm glad there are lots of virtual options out right now. I really think once the kids can be vaccinated we can put this all behind us and move on. I keep saying just a few more months!

[bisous]

My DC are too young for the vaccine still, and we expect them to wear masks anywhere indoors (we've never come across a crowded outdoor situation, b/c we still avoid those, but we'd expect masks then, too). If I'm asking my kids to put on a mask, I do too, out of solidarity/to set a good example, etc. However, I don't have super strong feelings on it. Thankfully after a year of in-person, fully masked school, my kids are expert mask wearers and don't even really think about it these days. DH still wears a mask all day long at work every day - I told him it doesn't bother me if he chooses not to wear one when the DC and I do (he sometimes does and sometimes doesn't). We're currently visiting my (vaccinated) parents, and I told them it doesn't bother me at all if they don't wear masks either (when my kids do). My children are old enough to understand the reasons they still need to wear masks -- and the positive is it actually makes them look forward to a shot, lol!

I don't think there's a right or wrong answer here. I have to be honest though - I really appreciate opportunities to teach my kids that life isn't fair and that situations don't have to be/rarely are equal. They privileged in SO many ways, it's a good experience for them. If my children were throwing fits about wearing masks, and saying they'd only wear them if we (their parents) were wearing them too, etc. -- I would honestly STOP wearing my mask in solidarity to teach them that is not how life works! (Not saying that's your situation OP, it didn't sound like it -- just giving general commentary)

I'm frustrated for you (and your DH) that you are getting negative feedback about mask wearing, though. That is wrong, full stop. If people were making snide comments about mask wearing to me, I would 100% plan on wearing my mask full time around them for the long haul, just to make a point about how ridiculous they're being/how I am an adult and not going to get peer-pressured into anything. But that's just me and I wouldn't expect it of anyone else.

These are great points. I think I need to let it go with regard to DH. I can live with that. He won't be infecting anyone and that's the most crucial part. I can continue to mask in solidarity and let DH do his thing.

So many have made the point that children having to wear masks while adults do not is probably not that strange from a child's point of view. They also have to sit in boosters and have lots of different rules and standards than adults or even teens.

You guys, I'm going to let it go with DH. But I feel just fine continuing to mask in my scenario in the event that it makes anyone feel more comfortable.