a local friend of mine wrote this nice article about how while FGC spaces have become more inclusive in some ways, COVID and the lack of caution surrounding it means that events and spaces are becoming less accessible to some immunocompromised and/or disabled folks (me!!!!!!!!!!!!!).
consider sharing with your local TOs or players who might be on the fence or not thinking about this sort of stuff.
It is undeniable that those with weaker immune systems and those with health conditions that can be exasperated by COVID cannot safely attend in person events without required masking. These conditions are not rare or uncommon. Asthma, heart conditions, high blood pressure, diabetes, liver or kidney damage, pregnancy, and obesity; all preexisting risk factors that can make COVID significantly more deadly. This is not some minuscule subset of people. Many beloved members of our community fall into these groups and they deserve to compete and participate in offline events from locals to majors just like the rest of us. Disabled members of our community deserve our care and our consideration too.
(transcript below incase medium is being weird)
The fighting came community has come a long way in its mission to be more inclusive. TOs, stream runners, attendees, and viewers should be proud to see our space so kind and welcoming. However, I fear that the strides weâve made are getting shorter and shorter with each year. Weâve pruned the low hanging fruits of direct bigotry and are now unable to make the much harder decisions necessary to protect and welcome everybody. Specifically, we need to bring back required masking at offline events in order to be an inclusive space towards the disabled.
Where is our inclusivity for the immunocompromised and disabled?
The removal of required masking has been a very disheartening trend in the last few years.
Donât write off those with impaired immune systems or similar chronic disabilities as a small minority of people. Small minorities are exactly the groups we have the most responsibility to be inclusive towards. Right now, most offline fgc events are not safe places for people with weaker immune systems or chronic health issues. Before we even mention Covid-19 we should acknowledge that masking makes events safer for the immunocompromised with any disease. âCon-flu/con-crudâ is something thatâs been around for years as an accepted part of the experience. And while some may be able to shrug it off as part of the price of offline events, those who have more to fear from a cold or a flu are left out of these events entirely. Even without COVID, we should be masking.
COVID is not done. Itâs not going away. As much as we want to move on with our lives, doing so is pretending that the danger of COVID is not there. COVID is not a just a flu and itâs not something to be taken lightly. About 5% of people in the US experience long COVID. People are experiencing chronic illnesses at statistically undeniable rates. This isnât even covering the long term effects weâve seen on brain function that we only are just starting to understand.
It is undeniable that those with weaker immune systems and those with health conditions that can be exasperated by COVID cannot safely attend in person events without required masking. These conditions are not rare or uncommon. Asthma, heart conditions, high blood pressure, diabetes, liver or kidney damage, pregnancy, and obesity; all preexisting risk factors that can make COVID significantly more deadly. This is not some minuscule subset of people. Many beloved members of our community fall into these groups and they deserve to compete and participate in offline events from locals to majors just like the rest of us. Disabled members of our community deserve our care and our consideration too.
Wear these. Not surgical masks
Masking, and by this I mean wearing an n95 mask, is an easy and effective way to reduce the spread of COVID. If our goal is to make our events safer for the disabled, this is the easiest way to do it. Notably, n95 masks are great at protecting you from catching COVID, but theyâre even better at preventing an infected individual from spreading it to others.
When both you and the infected individual are both properly masking, the odds you catch COVID are incredibly low.
Consider the stakes versus the costs for a moment. The cost of wearing a mask is very small: they are less than a dollar, can fit in your pocket, and when are maybe mildly uncomfortable at worst. In exchange, you protect yourself from a potentially debilitating disease, you protect others from that same disease, and you allow people with disabilities to safely come to events.
I urge you to have the empathy to care about each other. Very few of you would be so callous as to risk the lives of others in ordinary circumstances. But for various reasons, wearing a mask is considered unnecessary, despite how important they are for keeping a community healthy. Everybody knows somebody who has been seriously effected by Covid, whether you realize it or not. I personally know people in the Pacific Northwest FGC, who have suffered from long Covid, who avoid events due to the lack of masking, or who have been hit financially because of the repercussions of Covid.
Required masking is the only way
It is not enough to encourage masking or hope that people will do so when itâs not required. To actually keep people safe masks, must be both required and enforced. Events that say âmasks are strongly encouragedâ have unfortunately just become completely mask optional. Real world examples of mask mandates have given us proof that itâs the best and only way to get widespread masking. Additionally, there arenât any cons of required masking at events. Very few individuals are going to avoid an event because masks are required. Enforcement is almost always as simple as asking individuals to put them on.
What to do as a TO
If you are a TO, I want to first thank you for everything you do for the community and for taking the time to read and consider my argument. There are really only a couple things you need to do as a TO to implement required masking:
- Make it known that the event has required masking. Put it on the start.gg page and mention it when you advertise in discord. Remind people before the event so they remember to bring them.
- Supply masks for people who forget. You can get 50 masks for under $20. If cost is a concern please reach out to members of your community or me (@ForestsOfMars on twitter) and weâll happily help you cover costs.
- Enforce the masking at events. This is really as simple as checking those when they come in the door and asking politely individuals at the event to put back on their masks if they arenât properly wearing them.
I donât wish to put more stress and concerns on event organizers, but I do think that as community leaders, you have a responsibility to set the example and take these steps to be inclusive.
What to do as an attendee
Individual community members can have an impact on their local scenes even without organizing an event themselves:
Set the example by masking up. Itâs much harder for those on the fence about masking to wear one if nobody else at the event is. By wearing your mask you protect yourself and help set the standard that masking is necessary.
Ask your TOs to have required masking. Let it be known that this is something people in the community want.
Spread the word. Share this article on your own thoughts on social media. If you choose to go to an event because it has required masking, consider mentioning this when you do go.
I want to thank the TOs who require masking at events. Here in Seattle TOs such as Deyvonn, Boat, and FightingBaker have continued to host events with required masking. I want to thank them for doing so and know that I appreciate it.
I also want to thank everybody who does a good job masking at events. I notice you at every event and appreciate the care you show for those around you.
Lastly, thank you for reading. Earlier versions of this article were less focused, but I decided I wanted to make this very specific to masking and how it impacts inclusivity so it can more easily be shared with TOs and attendees on the fence about the issue.
