Why Some Women Still Want To Keep Wearing Masks Even When They’re Not Required

• Some women have admitted that they will continue wearing masks, whether they are required or not.
• As it appears, ladies want to use masks as “an invisibility cloak.”
• “It’s almost like taking away the male gaze,” someone said. ”There’s freedom in taking that power back.”

Since the start of the pandemic, health experts have repeatedly reminded us about the importance of wearing masks. Combined with frequent hand washing and social distancing, face coverings could help slow down the spread of Covid-19.

No wonder numerous establishments across the world have since required masks and it has become second nature for many of us. However, it looks like some women are still planning to keep their masks on despite the availability of vaccines and the lifting of restrictions in certain countries.

In a recent Guardian feature, we learn the reasons why some ladies have made a decision to continue wearing face coverings whether it remains a requirement or not.

Case in point, Becca Marshalla, 25, admitted:

“It’s a common consensus among my co-workers that we prefer not having customers see our face.”

“Oftentimes when a customer is being rude or saying off-color political things, I’m not allowed to grimace or make a face because that will set them off,” the Chicago-area bookstore worker also added. “With a mask, I don’t have to smile at them or worry about keeping a neutral face.”

34-year-old Jinghua, a non-binary writer based in Melbourne, likewise shared:

“After lockdown ended, it was confronting to go out and be exposed to all that offhand racism, sexism and misgendering from strangers again… sometimes when I’m just going out to grab takeaway, I’ve enjoyed keeping the mask on even though it’s not really necessary here now.”

Los Angeles screenwriter Aimee, 44, had the same thoughts, explaining:

“It’s almost like taking away the male gaze. There’s freedom in taking that power back.”

As 44-year-old Francesca, a professor in New York, summed it up: wearing a mask is like using an “invisibility cloak.”

Meanwhile, you can watch this video report to learn more about when people can actually stop wearing masks, according to the CDC: