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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAnyone else seeing this trend in those not wearing masks? White middle-aged men?
Newsom mandated a state-wide mask mandate but I live in a Trumper county. My husband and I went to Whole Foods today and, as you'd expect in Whole Foods, most people were complying with wearing masks (Whole Foods had a big sign stating masks were required). However there were a few not complying, maybe 20%? In looking around every single person not wearing a mask was white, male, and middle-aged (middle-aged being 40's to 50's). I mean, every single one.
Now, go to a Walmart in my area and you're going to see maybe 50% compliance, about 70% white males and the other 30% white females. But largely white middle-aged men.
Curious if others are observing the same trend?

MustLoveBeagles
(12,929 posts)It's usually white men but not always. When I was at the liquor store earlier I kept running into a middle-aged Hispanic man without one.
luvs2sing
(2,234 posts)young white and black men and, surprisingly, older white women.
Ms. Toad
(35,867 posts)I haven't noticed race in connection with gender or age.
(Also Ohio)
luvs2sing
(2,234 posts)Or the specific store where I shop.
salin
(48,958 posts)College town. Mask compliance is better in the city (near uniform) and lower in the county. When shopping at the Krogers or Target - the most fequent non-maskers seem to be older white women (60+ ish). Even when the store hands masks out at the entrance. Mask goes on, then comes right back off. I am close to that demographic, as are many of my friends - and none of us understand the trend.
2naSalit
(95,072 posts)Most of them are white.
DavidDvorkin
(20,038 posts)Philosophizing Fool
(73 posts)Women seem to be masked more often but I have not noticed any assignments to racial characteristics. Men are much more lax regarding any safety gear, in my experience, until they get hurt. No safety glasses until an eye is nearly lost, ignoring hearing damage until they prematurely deafen, much more likely to drink and drive, and numerous other examples.
JanMichael
(25,416 posts)60/40 men to women.
Bluethroughu
(6,751 posts)Middle age woman, no mask near the pharmacy...my husband and I gave her a dirty look and stepped away like she had a C-arlette letter. She then got close to a guy in his twenties in line, he then stepped away. During this time she was talking out loud, and their were some seniors waiting for their vax, they looked away.
I hope she felt uncomfortable and puts on a mask, next time she's out. Our county is having a surge in Covid cases.
Shrike47
(6,913 posts)They annoy me no end and sometimes times I say something in their vicinity.
bucolic_frolic
(48,491 posts)Fearless in the face of the pandemic.
dweller
(25,573 posts)without masks, but then Im in a college town
And I have noticed 30-40s couples without, I cuss at them too
✌🏻
Diamond_Dog
(35,785 posts)But mostly older white males. Ohio here too.
alittlelark
(18,939 posts)Only teens, 20-somethings and men appearing over 60.
I NOTICED.
Got my booster yesterday here as well. Others were young men, those over 60, and 2 women. Many fewer women than men.
milestogo
(19,192 posts)and pulling up their shirts over their noses.
mahina
(19,382 posts)Raine
(30,674 posts)Spider Jerusalem
(21,786 posts)on my last trip to the grocery I saw more younger (late teens to late 20s) black and Latino people not wearing masks than middle-aged people of any description.
crimycarny
(1,669 posts)My area is largely white, but people of color in my area that I've seen tend to wear their masks. I think maybe it's because I'm in the middle of your typical Trumper white male-dominated county. I just had to go out again--my daughter decided at the last minute she wanted peppermint bark for Xmas and it is NOWHERE to be found--I went to Walgreens, Safeway, Nugget, Belair, and CVS. Again, literally 90% of those not wearing masks were white males, all at least over 30.
I don't confront them because a) there's no point and b) that's what they want. I will see some looking like "so what are you going to do about it??". They are itching to be confronted. I'll often smile and say "hello" (through my N95 mask) because that p*sses them off more than anything. They WANT to be noticed and "admired" for their "independence" and "not bowing to authority". In reality they are just big babies who are desperate to seem relevant. (Oh, and selfish *ssholes too).
OAITW r.2.0
(29,308 posts)Vast majority, including self, wearing masks.
Sewa
(1,376 posts)I would estimate a difference of 90% to 50% mask worn now. I was shocked at the swiftness of the drop off. I do live in a red area.
BlackSkimmer
(51,308 posts)White men not so much, same with black men
Younger people of both races not wearing masks. Young women more likely to wear them than young men of any race. Hispanic folks of all ages wearing them.
A HERETIC I AM
(24,688 posts)
MustLoveBeagles
(12,929 posts)It's not all of us but contrary ones are really loud.
I_UndergroundPanther
(13,004 posts)So true of whites on the right.
MichMan
(14,064 posts)What is the penalty in California for an individual that does not comply with the directive ? What happens if someone reports them? Fines, arrest ?
dem4decades
(12,264 posts)And at times I'm like, why, but I do it for those too young to be vaccinated.
Meowmee
(6,933 posts)See unmasked people of all ages younger people also. Nearly no biz were enforcing the 2 week mask mandate, I am not sure if it has been continued. Costco was the only place that was but overall there are more masked people. You are on your own now even more, protect yourself and family because no one else will.
MustLoveBeagles
(12,929 posts)ProfessorGAC
(71,475 posts)...I see both men & women being maskless tools.
Where I see it as more gender based is in my age group of 60s. Hardly any 60 something women not masked.
MissMillie
(39,067 posts)At the grocery store today about 50% of the customers were wearing masks.
Rhiannon12866
(227,618 posts)I've seen a few who tried to go maskless, 2 older men and one woman. However it is enforced here. And the local Walmart is actually the most strict, they have a mask checker at the entrance.
randr
(12,516 posts)They think they are invincible.
not fooled
(6,154 posts)Mostly white but significant % of Hispanics. Yesterday, at Fry's (Kroger) and Wal-Mart, Hispanics wore masks at a noticeably higher rate than whites.
*Big-time red don country, especially in the more rural, heavily white parts.
bahboo
(16,953 posts)in Ventura. You go inside, you wear a mask. Granted, some better than others, but we're doing damn good...
Jon King
(1,910 posts)Down here its definitely mostly the MAGA type guys you describe along with the MAGA women. The very loud, push the shopping cart around corners at full speed without looking, park the cart diagonally across the aisle while talking on the phone type women. You know rude, well MAGAs, same thing.
Zeitghost
(4,557 posts)Is bad, but mostly seems to mirror local demographics of mostly white and latino. The southeast Asian population is probably a little more compliant. I mentioned in another thread that at the mall last night it was ~15% masked at most.
Mr.Bill
(24,906 posts)likely to be maskless here, it would be young Hispanic men. Middle aged white men would be the second choice.
LiberatedUSA
(1,666 posts)A good amount likely feel 3 shots is enough protection from the worst of it.
Dickster
(115 posts)It may be my imagination, but the people that I meet without a mask either have a guilty look in their eyes when eye contact us made, or they avoid eye contact. Those with masks seem to have a brighter look in their eyes, as if they acknowledge a fellow traveler. Like I said, it may be my imagination..