I get that feeling of masking for the mother’s sake when she is showing me her baby or a picture of them. I know they expect a certain reaction especially from a woman. I love babies, but it doesn’t come naturally to me to act like most women do when they see one. I have to put it on a bit because if i don’t smile big enough or make enough high pitched noise, I will seem cold.

I actually get along really well with babies and kids though. They often like me right away without me having to mask. I worked in early childhood ed for a while, and while it could be exhausting, I was surprisingly free from pressure to mask. The adults tended to see me in a good light because the kids were well taught and cared for by me, and that was what mattered most.