I have never put on a mask since all this started. Ever. I live in a pretty conservative town in a blue state. Not a single store in town has ever hassled me much about masks. So yeah, getting told I wasn't welcome at a store over a mask was a bit of a shock. First time I've been "kicked out" ever.
Not gonna lie, it bothered way more than I thought it would. Haven't been able to stop replaying the incident in my head since. I had just been able to build up enough confidence knowing I could walk into any store without fear of being humiliated. That's gone now. How do you all manage this kinda stuff? I've written corporate a message, but I'm pretty sure I'll just get a canned response. This thing has got me BUMMED out, man. Like.. bad. Makes me want to never leave the house again.
Anyway, sorry for the weird post but I don't really have many friends or family to talk to about this stuff. Thanks for reading.
say very kindly and apologetically and quickly that you have a medical condition. by law (HIPAA) they aren't allowed to ask, but if they do tell them you have damaged lungs and it restricts your breathing. I've hardly ever had anyone give me a hard time and they usually don't ask for detail.
if they push back, I just calmly say ok well goodbye and take business elsewhere. and hopefully they recognize the error of their ways at some point.
also, note that most of the time these people demand the mask because if they own the business they don't want to be shut down by the commies or if they work there their boss insists for same reason, or can be because people or too dopey to see ridiculousness of it.
given opportunity to talk with the person demanding you mask, just tell them that they covered from government penalties because they asked you and you told them you have a medical condition and beyond that they are forbidden from asking about your condition by HIPAA.
of course this won't work on airlines and certain other areas where they've gone bonkers and are ignoring people with genuine medical conditions, it's ludicrous.
good luck
Thanks. Yup, I told her I was medically exempt. She didn't care so I just calmly left.