Masking communication
I wanted to look at mask wearing here. I should clarify that this post is in no way a complaint about the reasons or need for wearing masks during the COVID-19 crisis, nor presenting some ‘right’ not to have to use them, but rather what they represent (or don’t) for blind people. I’ve discussed here previously about the issues of facial expressions and eye contact and they seem to have been brought into particular focus with the current need to wear masks in public spaces. Although I think I understand the role that facial expressions play in sighted people’s communication, I have been surprised at the level of fervour expressed by some about the extent of what is lost of their ability to communicate through wearing masks. It is as if the barrier of the mask represents a severance of their only means to understanding the truth and feelings behind speech, the honesty (or not) of reactions and responses. Other than what