So we attended a protest yesterday as part of our local mask bloc to hand out free respirator masks to attendees. The people who engaged with us mostly had positive responses (although often expressing uneducated beliefs about COVID).
But there were also a lot of people who walked by and just gawked, glared, shook their heads and gave pitying looks etc. Some people also made passing comments about us (which we expected, but it was still irritating).
Still processing. Coz ultimately it was a lot of sensory input. But it was pretty terrifying attending an "antifascist" protest with thousands of people totally unmasked. I'm dreading COVID testing today and tomorrow honestly.
Trying not to be too bitter about it, but it's really hard watching people willingly partake in eugenics. Like it's pretty gutting. I know we did our bit and spent hours in direct sun to hand out masks, water, plasters, suncream, ear buds and food. But it still feels like it's not enough? But I don't know what more I, a disabled person, could have done. That's been my one outing for the month and I'm shattered.
Please mask. You can help to protect yourself and everyone around you just by wearing a well fitting respirator.
I had a similar experience at last year's pride and sadly I just don't have the will or supplies or energy this time around to do a similar thing this year... eerily similar to early AIDS organizing struggles: people want to act like it's a fringe issue pushed by crazies or just ignore it and it's so frustrating.
