No, You May Not Remove Your Mask
How not to be an Office-Karen
I met up with someone, a colleague, to discuss a developing situation and as we took our seats six-feet away from each other in a conference room he proceeded to remove his face mask. I was stunned.
Not only did I feel physically and emotionally threatened, I felt disrespected. We’re in a pandemic. I looked away embarrassed and speechless as he proceeded like it was no big deal. Maybe ask if it made me uncomfortable or if it was okay?
To me it’s in the same vein if one of us decided to pull out a cigarette or turn off the air. It should have been mutually consensual. I felt violated and belittled especially since he was higher up in the hierarchy. Why couldn’t I say something then? Was it a carefully calculated power move to intimidate me or was he that tone deaf?
With people returning to work and some social behaviors lapse to pre-COVID-19 levels as the virus recedes, I’m still being cautious because of the risks. They go well beyond a 14-day quarantine or convalescing in a hospital bed. For some, the damage is irreversible and life threatening. I know the limits of my support system and know I must continue to protect myself and protect others at least until a vaccine is approved, so I wear a mask, keep my distance and myself clean.
Let’s face it. For the time being, masks are now a part of our lives when we go out in public, go to school and at the office. This requires new behavior. Along with that behavior should be the common courtesy of asking if one is okay with mask removal especially in a confined space. Just because I kept my mask on the entire time doesn’t mean I consent to breathing in potential COVID-19 droplets. That was not only gross and disgusting, it’s threatening and demeaning.
No one should fear retaliation if they ask someone to don a mask. Some of us will find ourselves in that situation. Maybe if I removed mine and started coughing uncontrollably they would have gotten the message. But why resort to passive-aggressive behavior?
Maybe if there was one universal word or signal like “OK”, the intimidation factor would be lessened and people wouldn’t fear being an Office-Karen. “Mask” is a good single word option or motioning to mine might have kindly conveyed the message:
No! You may not remove the protective barrier between us. Do better.
© 2020 Greenstone Publishing.
