Living Mask Free: Baring My Face and Transness to the World

Originally published at https://www.splicetoday.com.

Maryland recently announced that fully vaccinated people don’t have to wear masks inside of businesses anymore based on the CDC’s updated guidelines. Some places still require masks, like Rise Up Coffee Roasters here in Easton, but most don’t. I’ll still wear one for now because it’s unclear whether the CDC made the right decision. According to the New York Times, most epidemiologists think Americans need to wear masks in public buildings for at least another year, even with vaccinations. Several people online also remind everyone that the CDC originally said masks weren’t necessary during the early days of the pandemic. That’s the problem with following the science: by the time new data is discovered, too much damage has already been done.

I went into Target last week without a mask. The sign on the door said they only recommend, not demand, masks for people not fully vaccinated. I asked an employee cleaning carts by the entrance if I had to show my vaccination card. She said no, so I put on some lipstick and began strutting around the store, my face and transness bared before the world. Nobody said anything, just like nobody said anything the day before when I got coffee at Rise Up wearing a skirt.