I just want to say I hear you, and I'm sorry that you've been forced to make these choices between health and safety, and social interactions that could potentially harm/maim/kill those around us. I am still masking, and have lost friends over it. It makes every interaction outside of home more stressful and alienating for sure, but my experience is that good people and good friends will treat the mask as just another piece of clothing, like a scarf or hat, because seeing someone in person is a very different level of connection than via phone or online. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say wearing a mask takes guts and some serious metaphorical cajones at this point, so I completely understand wanting to avoid any situation like you mentioned. Wish I could offer more help on that, but my reasons are personally driven and might not apply to everyone.
All that being said, I have successfully attended a couple weddings, parties, and a concert wearing my n95 with a cloth mask over it that matches my outfit. It can be hard to speak with it on sometimes, as someone who is generally soft spoken, but for people who really wanted to chat it wasn't a problem. You gotta do what feels best for you, because at the end of the day, you matter, and your comfort is important.
I just want to say I hear you, and I'm sorry that you've been forced to make these choices between health and safety, and social interactions that could potentially harm/maim/kill those around us. I am still masking, and have lost friends over it. It makes every interaction outside of home more stressful and alienating for sure, but my experience is that good people and good friends will treat the mask as just another piece of clothing, like a scarf or hat, because seeing someone in person is a very different level of connection than via phone or online. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say wearing a mask takes guts and some serious metaphorical cajones at this point, so I completely understand wanting to avoid any situation like you mentioned. Wish I could offer more help on that, but my reasons are personally driven and might not apply to everyone.
All that being said, I have successfully attended a couple weddings, parties, and a concert wearing my n95 with a cloth mask over it that matches my outfit. It can be hard to speak with it on sometimes, as someone who is generally soft spoken, but for people who really wanted to chat it wasn't a problem. You gotta do what feels best for you, because at the end of the day, you matter, and your comfort is important.