Things that remain centerstage today in the #marginalization of so many
There's a long history of #segregation and #uglylaws, on and on, to keep those who don't conform with expected norms from having an affect on the lulled masses
The mask ban in Nassau County, NY went into effect today. It’s a dangerous, discriminatory and highly ableist ban that makes masking a criminal act.
The police will determine who is “sick enough” to wear a mask.
Everyone else? $1000 fine and/or jail.
I’ve written about mask bans in great detail in the past - I’m strongly opposed to them. Legislators say they’re designed to deter crime - when we know a medical mask does very little to obscure identity.
The reality is there’s no evidence to suggest they will stop crime - however there’s ample proof that they will deter high risk individuals from masking in public (or from being in public at all).
Invisible illnesses and disabilities are difficult for even doctors to understand - no one is going to feel comfortable letting a police officer determine if they’re “disabled enough” to not be breaking the law.
Bans like this increase the likelihood of harassment and violence against mask wearers - because people feel emboldened by the government effectively telling them that those who mask are “bad”. We aren’t bad - we’re just trying to survive.
My heart aches for everyone who wants and needs to protect their health in places that are enacting these bans - and I can only hope that if we keep getting loud and pushing back we can stop them from spreading.
Don’t make the mistake of assuming it can’t happen where you live - these bans can (and will) be enacted in more places if there isn’t public outcry.
Medical tools should never be banned. Masks are a critical accessibility & public health tool. They help. They don’t harm.
You know what does harm? Unmitigated covid spread. Ableism. Police profiling and law enforcement overreach. Anti-mask aggression. Bad policies and the refusal to pay attention to the science of airborne spread.
Nassau County just became more unsafe for everyone. Maskers and non maskers alike. Just like North Carolina before it… they’ve sent a very clear message that vulnerable people don’t matter. Marginalized people don’t matter. Ableism is alive and well.
You should also read the powerful TeenVogue article by Alice Wong on mask bans. I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to contribute - and I appreciate Teen Vogue being willing to tackle these critical subjects: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/mask-bans-disabled-people-protest
I urge everyone to read this post from Lucky Tran about a proposed mask ban in Nassau County that would see people fined $1000 for wearing a mask. As soon as North Carolina passed their mask ban - we began seeing other cities and states follow suit.
Mask bans are wrong. Period. We are in an airborne pandemic where one of our best and only tools remains a well fitted respirator. The idea that people should have to carry around a medical exemption (which not everyone can obtain) or face fines and/or arrest is ableist and discriminatory. These bans force disabled people out of society because they don’t allow us to exist safely in public spaces - and they will increase the spread of Covid.
Call, email, post… speak out against these bans. Let lawmakers know you won’t visit any city or state that doesn’t allow people to wear a medical device for personal protection and community care.