thatchronicfeeling

[thatchronicfeeling]

thinking about everyone with medical conditions doing their damnedest to avoid covid while living with people who could not give less of a shit about getting themselves and other people sick. you're not alone and you deserve better.

[thatchronicfeeling]

Reblog if you understand that disability is not a monolith and two people with the same disability do not have identical experiences ✨

[thatchronicfeeling]

water lilies in full bloom

2024/08/10

[thatchronicfeeling]

Why I’m Still Wearing a Mask and Why That Bothers Some People

Why Public Health is much more important than Popularity Dr. Zachary Rubin Aug 16, 2025

Last week, I posted about wearing a mask. Over 900 people unfollowed me almost instantly, but something surprising happened after that: more than 10,000 new people followed. That’s not just a numbers game; it tells a story about what it means to take a stand for your health and the health of others in 2025.

Why I Mask I don’t wear a mask because I’m scared. I don’t wear it because I’m trying to make a political statement. I wear it because it’s a simple, effective tool that helps protect me, my family, my patients, and my community. Right now, respiratory viruses are circulating heavily. Schools are back in session, which means more kids getting sick and more germs spreading to families, and as an allergist, I know firsthand that people with asthma, chronic lung conditions, or compromised immune systems are at higher risk when these viruses surge. A mask reduces those risks. Masking helps when I am cleaning or when there are air quality alerts such as the wildfire smoke coming from Canada. For me, it’s that straightforward.

Why Masks Spark Backlash Why would nearly a thousand people unfollow me just for posting about this? Because masks carry symbolic weight that goes far beyond their practical use. For some, wearing a mask feels like a reminder of the pandemic years they want to forget. For others, it triggers political or cultural divides. Here are a few common reasons people push back against masks: Fatigue: After years of pandemic precautions, many feel “done” with masking, even if viruses aren’t “done” with us. Identity: Masking became politicized, so for some, it now feels like a badge of belonging to the “other side.” Inconvenience: Masks aren’t always comfortable, and people equate comfort with freedom. Denial: A mask is a visible acknowledgment that viruses still matter, and some people simply don’t want that reminder. Confusion: Many people have been convinced that masks don’t work based on misleading studies or nefarious people spreading disinformation. When you add those factors together, wearing a mask in public isn’t just about health, it has become a cultural flashpoint.

The Followers Who Left, and the Ones Who Stayed Losing 900 followers felt like rejection in the moment but then came the flood of new ones. Over 10,000 people who hit “follow” because I spoke up about masking. That matters. It shows there are countless people who are relieved to see someone normalize precautions, who want science-driven voices in their feeds, and who don’t want to feel alone for making health-conscious choices. In a way, this is the exact tradeoff I want. If speaking honestly means losing people who see masks only as a threat to their identity but gaining those who see masks as a tool to stay safe and healthy, then that’s not a loss at all.

Why I’ll Keep Wearing One At the end of the day, masks are just one piece of the public health puzzle. They’re not perfect, but they are protective, and as long as viruses are circulating at high levels, I’ll keep wearing one. Not because I want to tell others what to do, but because I want to show that it’s okay to care about your health, to care about your family’s health, and yes, to care about strangers’ health too. If that costs me followers, so be it. However, if it inspires others to feel seen, validated, and supported, then it has been worth it.

[thatchronicfeeling]

trans men being safe is so important to me

[thatchronicfeeling]

I hate my disabilities but not the way that ableists hate my disabilities

I’d still like to be alive, just more comfortable in that life

they would rather just kill me

[thatchronicfeeling]

[Image Description (courtesy of Taipei): Taipei is a drag queen in dramatic vampy makeup and a platinum blonde bob hairstyle. She wears a glitter burgundy dress with a bright red fur lined jacket over the top. She summarizes the unique ways in which Long COVID affects the queer and trans communities, showing examples of articles to illustrate her talking points. End ID. ] [Transcription (written by Taipei):

How does Long COVID affect the queer and trans communities? I’m Taipei, here with The Sick Times. Let’s talk about it. 

While Long COVID can affect anyone, studies have shown that the disease affects queer and trans people at higher rates, but why is that? 

More research is needed, but we do know that queer and trans people face discrimination and barriers to accessing healthcare, which can affect their overall health and therefore make them higher risk for experiencing complications from COVID. 

Queer and trans people are also at a higher risk of contracting HIV, which studies have shown increases the risk of Long COVID. 

Just like during the AIDS crisis, queer and trans people with Long COVID and other disabilities are stepping up where the government has failed, organizing mask blocs and clean air organizations. Whether it’s putting on covid-safer drag shows or handing out free masks at Pride, we’re putting our own spin on collective care. 

Thank you to The Sick Times for partnering with me on this video. As someone living with Long COVID, they’re an essential source staying up to date on news on the evolving Long COVID crisis. 

Remember: the fight for public health is also the fight against oppression. Take care of yourselves, and wear a mask. Until next time, goodbye.

End Transcription.]

[thatchronicfeeling]

languages that don't distinguish between formal and informal you are missing out on so much petty drama. my grandparents have two neighbours who once got into a huge fight over something honestly pretty trivial, so neighbour A said he was going to revoke neighbour B's du (informal you) privileges. neighbour B was like "okay but can i use du one last time?" and neighbour A was like "yeah go ahead", and neighbour B said "du arschloch" (you asshole). incredible.

[thatchronicfeeling]

reblogging this because I *just* got a supportive response from one of my MSPs (in August 2025). I was worried it was too late to email them, but it's not. It is still worth taking the time to email your members of parliament (at the UK Parliament, at the Scottish Parliament, at the Senedd Cymru/Welsh Parliament and at the Northern Ireland Assembly). Join me in supporting trans rights! <3

Are you in the UK and want to do something to support trans rights (but you don't know where to start)? Scottish Trans have written template emails, which you can send to your MPs, MSPs and/or MSs about the Supreme Court ruling. Here is the link -- scroll down to find the relevant sections for trans folk, allies, and for different parts of the UK.* *I'm not sure why NI isn't listed on that page, but the "email your MPs" part should be relevant. <3

[thatchronicfeeling]

[Image Description: Foxes in Love comic, featuring a green fox and a blue fox. First panel: Green and Blue are on a mission, carrying laundry baskets on their heads. The caption reads: Sometimes I look at us and think "Wow, this is really it." Second panel: Gren and Blue are entranced by a washing machine that is leaping in the air as it washes their clothes, emitting the sound "Fbörrrrrr". The caption reads: These are the good times. Third panel: Green and Blue are hanging clean laundry on the washing line. The caption reads: The soft epilogue. Fourth panel: Green and Blue are heading home with laundry baskets balanced on their heads. The caption reads: Our happily ever after. End ID.]

[thatchronicfeeling]

This is really important. Same goes for people with 'milder' chronic illness that doesn't involve pain. I wish I'd had access to information about disability (and community!) before my illnesses became extremely disabling. It would be great if more people identified as disabled (in a "the more, the merrier" kind of way). Just think of the wide-reaching solidarity and how much more power there is to fight for better rights when the critical mass is bigger. Are you feeling impostor syndrome about being disabled? Get in here! There's room for all of us! <3

was talking to a diabetic friend the other day and i told him that i don't think i'd consider my moderate chronic pain 'disabling', just because i have a high pain tolerance, so it rarely stops me from doing anything, it just causes a lot of pain while i do that thing

and he asks if i'd consider his diabetes a disability, because for him it doesn't usually mean he can't do anything, it just means he can't do stuff the same way non-diabetics can

i thought abt it for a second, then i said "yeah, because even if you can do the same stuff, it comes at a cost. and there's other stuff you've gotta do and keep track of"

"yeah. your chronic pain's the same way. you can do the same stuff, but the pain and rest later, that's the cost"

anyway i thought that was a good outlook on moderate chronic pain and impostor syndrome or whatever

[thatchronicfeeling]

do you ever wonder what it would feel like not to be tired

[thatchronicfeeling]

"Perseids over the Bohemian Forest" 🌌 Counted over 70 meteors painting the night sky in one hour!

📸 Thomas Havel Photography

The composite image was taken from Březník on the northern edge of the Luzenské valley in Šumava National Park. The whole location is in the middle of wild forests and is one of the darkest places in the Czech Republic. The night sky includes the central arch of our Milky Way Galaxy and the planets Saturn and Jupiter on the left side of the Milky Way. Make a wish! 💫

[thatchronicfeeling]

@fangnominous: #the milky way is highly visible from this region on a clear night (clusters of small stars at the center)#to the left you can see the big dipper and the little dipper#which makes the large star in the upper left the North Star @nettlesandjuniper: Source 1 (free) which is a reference to Source 2 (login required)

300 year old leather star map by the Skidi, one of the four bands of the Pawnee tribe. The Skidi Pawnee historically lived on the Central Plains of Nebraska and Kansas.

[thatchronicfeeling]

(Making small talk) yeah I’ve been having some new and intriguing stomach issues lately

[thatchronicfeeling]

Yup, and then you learn that a significant reduction in blood flow to the brain is provoked by both standing and sitting in your illness. I really appreciate Linda van Campen et al for their research on cerebral blood flow in ME.

fatigue is NOT getting tired from normal things . fatigue is "oh no i just stood up and it feels like i ran a marathon." . when even the most basic tasks like standing and sitting send your body into overdrive . i wish more people understood this.

[thatchronicfeeling]

[Video Description: A tardigrade walks across the screen. It's kind of like a slow, meandering brown-orange jelly with 8 bear paws. End ID.] Just when I thought tardigrades couldn't get any better. No wonder they are also known as water bears!

Take a break, this cute tardigrade needs time to cross your dash: