The way American media (and by extension, Americans) value fitting in over doing literally anything to improve anyone else's life or just leaving people alone has driven me insane from a young age. Most of you are probably too young to know that sunscreen as a general-use thing is very new culturally. I remember being in grade school all through even junior high getting picked on because my pasty ass was always putting on sunscreen before outdoor activities. The Atlantic and other outlet's incessent mockery of people simply living their lives reminds me of that immature, grade school bullying.
Not only do I hate being sunburned and physically don't tan (I freckle), my parents told me about the recently-uncovered risks of skin cancer and modeled the behavior with me and my siblings. We read the science and said "Shit! At least there's an easy thing we can do to reduce our risks! Twenty plus years later, and even poor elementary school kids are bringing sunscreen to school and using it every recess through the hottest months. I guess I say this to make it clear that little by little, some people will see sense, and petty, childish drivel about masking like The Atlantic publishes will someday fade into the past, but until then, keep doing the right thing. You'll thank yourself for masking up just like I thank myself and my parents for making sure I made it into my 30s 1. without even a sign of skin cancer 2. not looking like an antique handbag (I don't think any generation of my family has aged as gracefully as my siblings and cousins, 'cept the one who chain smokes lmao).
