The author reflects on early experiences with face masks, initially normalizing their use within their family of medical professionals. However, the COVID-19 pandemic shifted perceptions dramatically, transforming mask-wearing into a visible marker of societal behavior, compliance, and political stance. While some abandoned masks post-vaccination, the author continued to wear N95 masks, noting the cultural implications and the differentiation it created during the pandemic. This change took the author's once benign understanding of masks and turned it into a complex social symbol, laden with deeper meanings.
COVID-19 challenged and irrevocably altered the author's assumption about mask-wearing, transforming it from a benign behavior into a significant social and political symbol.
Masking became a visible marker of compliance and a potent indicator of political allegiance during the pandemic, further complicating the culture surrounding it.
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