For those who would rather listen than read–

I read an article the other day that had me in snickers for a while, and then I got angry, and then I thought to myself, Self, this is worth writing a post about. So here ya go.

Monica Hesse wrote a Perspective piece for the Washington Post which may be paywalled, so I found it via another source and will share that link here.

At first I was dumbfounded, gobsmacked if you prefer, that men actually think wearing a mask makes them less masculine. That was the giggle part. Apparently, it doesn’t take more than a small piece of fabric tied over their faces to emasculate them. Then I got to thinking about life as I’ve lived it, and life as I know it and I got angry.

Now, I’m speaking in generalities, so please don’t get your knickers in a knot, unless the shoe fits, in which case wear the damn shoe and untie your knickers! But for too many years male privilege has been to blame the woman/victim—for anything they don’t want to accept responsibility for. She was raped? Why did she dress that way? Show her hair? Her ankle? Lock her up, save male virtue from itself because the men can’t control it, so they must control her.

Wear a mask? Hey! Real men aren’t afraid of no stinkin’ little virus. YOU wear the damn mask. Remember, the Lone Ranger wore a mask. True, it covered his eyes, not his mouth, but it was a mask. Cowboys wore and wear masks, ie, bandanas, over the lower part of their face. Useful for keeping out dust (and possibly Covid 19) and when they weren’t paid, for robbing the local bank or cattle baron. 

But, but, do they not understand that the mask does not protect the wearer, it protects the other person? Men don’t wear masks because their wife/mother/children/significant others/parents do, so why should they worry? 

I’ll agree, masks aren’t sexy, they chafe, they’re hot, they aren’t really comfortable, but they are a lot less uncomfortable than Covid 19. And public safety should be worth something more than a fragile ego.

And if a mask, a mall piece of fabric, makes a male feel somehow emasculated, I remind him (and you) of the late Eleanor Roosevelt who said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Substitute the word ‘inferior’ with whatever you need. Making men feel manly in a mask is the man’s problem, and the man’s responsibility to overcome, it is a public-health issue. Period. Punkt! Full stop. Roll credits. Man up!

Many men really do have a problem accepting responsibility for their own actions. That’s why they try to turn women into mommies, so mommy can take the responsibility, kiss it, and make it all better. If your man doesn’t wear a mask, find a new man. One who will wear a mask and show you and the world that he cares for you and your children, that he cares for his neighbors, that he cares. Period. 

Now, I admit, I’m not a fan of Dick Cheney, never have been, but I’m open to changing that fanship, at least in this case. #RealMenWearMasks. Yeeeee-haw! Ride ‘em cowboy! Way to go Mr. Vice President!

Dick Cheney, swiped from Liz Cheney’s tweet

And to all of ‘my’ men who care enough about me, their spouses, the public, and who know what a Real Man is and wear those freaking masks, THANK YOU!!! Any man who doesn’t feel the need to bully others into agreeing with him; any man who when he makes a mistake is willing to admit it, say he’s sorry, and do what he can to rectify the situation; any man who isn’t intimidated by a wee bit of fabric over his nose and mouth; any man who can make me laugh—even Dick Cheney—is a real man and one of ‘my’ men!

Auntie Lenora