The Right to Unmask

This piece speaks to those living with chronic pain who are forced to perform wellness in order to be accepted, believed, or accommodated. It challenges the expectation that suffering must be softened, hidden, or made palatable. This work is a declaration that masking is not strength but survival, and that unmasking is an act of truth, self-preservation, and resistance. It advocates for visibility, rest, and dignity, reminding us that pain does not require justification and humanity does not require performance. Artwork by Lyric Janè