Don't tell me to smile

I have been told three times in my life by men to smile while working.

First time was as a cashier in a retail store. It was my first job, it was busy, and I wanted the customer to leave the store quickly. So I barely raised my lips and he agreed to pay then left.

Second and third was while working as a food service worker in a furniture store. It was around 2020, masks were required and even when they weren't I kept one.

It came in handy when two men who were in hetero relationships asked me to smile. What they saw was the crinkle in my eyes as my mouth was covered. Little did they know I was baring my teeth. If any of them had taken a good look into my eyes they would have seen the disgust I held toward them.

Once I even heard a woman ask a male co-worker of mine to smile. He had the sense to comment against it. His words startled both her. I held the same disgust as if they were men. It doesn't matter which gender you are I don't believe in telling anyone to smile while they are working.

Hopefully people moving forward will choose to be kind instead of being ugly and entittled. Until that happens I will only smile whenever I choose to and speak up against those who tell me to.