Maybe yours is home-made. Maybe yours has a hipster twist. Maybe you’re using over-priced-single-use-ones that were convenient to pick up on your weekly shop.

Whatever it’s like, most of us will now have an addition to our daily outfits – the facemask.

With face-coverings becoming increasingly encouraged across indoor spaces, my mental-check routine before leaving the house now is, ‘phone, keys, wallet…. face-mask’…. That is, on the days I remember. Some days when I go to get the paper (yes, I do still buy a Paper paper), I come back empty-handed, as the face-mask has sadly been left neglected at home.

What would happen if I just went in a shop without a mask? Looks? Judgments? I’ve done it myself - the double-take and slight frown when I see the unexpected chin of a stranger in a shop.

But I shouldn’t.

As someone who has run training in unconscious bias and passionately cares about challenging preconceptions about ‘disabled’ people, who am I to judge? How do I know that person’s circumstances? They do not need to justify themselves to me, or anyone else.

The government has clearly stated that there are exemptions to wearing face coverings.

Yet, perhaps the development of ‘COVID community spirit’ has been accompanied by an increase in community policing? As our communities have felt ever-closer and the public-health-threat so large, others’ actions are certainly on our mind. This self-policing due to appearances has probably led to several benefits as most folks have adapted to norms to keep others safe.

Yet, are we truly being mindful of the exceptions?

Disability Equality Scotland have designed badges for people to ‘prove’ their circumstances and the Sunflower Hidden Disabilities Scheme communicates hidden disabilities externally. But how disappointing that this onus is on the person who is at disadvantage.

During earlier stages of lockdown, I remember the debates around what was ‘essential’. If you did things for your mental wellbeing over going for prescribed medication, can that still be deemed essential? Do we want to reinforce the medical model of disability? Are we confident in the law-makers’ and law-enforcers’ ability to take individual circumstances into consideration?

I truly hope for a society where we all can pause before jumping to conclusions. I understand that this takes time and effort – and training. Surely now is the time, when the well-being of everyone is so fundamental, that we make the effort to invest in such non-judgmental mindsets. Me included.