There is a line between advocating for the rights of healthcare and other essential workers who aren't being adequately supported, and then just bashing regular cooped up people who want to thank them for no real reason but to be a jerk because you hate joy.

Between my two hospital stints when I was at home and too sick with Covid to get out of bed, the 8pm cheering for essential workers, the banging on pans, was the highlight of my day and made me feel less alone. You can advocate support AND let people connect and be grateful.

It is not always either/or! Most people are not hoarding masks or in charge of how to get essential workers funding and supplies. They are people who fel grateful, and want to shout out their windows at the world. We are afraid and alone and this is all unprecedented. Go easy.

Anyway I absolutely hate this narrative that to call essential workers heroic in this time means that you don't also fear for their safety and want them to have all the protection they need and wish you could work in the place of anyone who needed it.

My mother is an essential worker in a prison giving mental health services and she gets no PPE and refuses to stay home even though she is 65+ so if you want to clap for her, please do.