A Time Of Reckoning For American Masculinity

The American male’s need to appear “tough” has been on full display during the Covid-19 pandemic, but there’s one major problem: It’s literally killing people.

Quarantines and shutdowns began in my part of the country around the middle of March. That means we are four months in to this ordeal, and we are still having a conversation around one of the most basic pieces of the puzzle: Wearing a mask.

I’m not going to get into the science (which is clear), or the politics (even though it’s not political) of mask-wearing, and let me say I fully understand the anti-mask crowd is diverse and varied. For the sake of this piece, though, I want to discuss a very specific group.

The privileged white dude.

All of us have seen videos of “Karens” running around yelling at people and being famous online for all of the wrong reasons, we already know that’s a widespread problem.

As a straight white American male, though, I find myself consistently disappointed in those like me who enjoy fewer discriminatory experiences than any other “category” of person, yet can be the most stubborn in making even the smallest concession to help those around them.