A Tennessee woman named Emily shares the difficulties she has going to the bank “covered head to toe” thanks to her severe sun allergy. Emily often posts about the struggles this allergy causes and how it has made her a ‘real-life’ vampire. However, one of the most frequent questions she gets asked is: How can she go to the bank when she can’t be in the sun?
The TikTok she posted answering the question has over 104,000 views. To go outside, Emily has to wear UV-protective clothing and glasses. This can create concern when people see her in public. In the video, she demonstrates how many layers she puts on to stay covered. However, she recently “had no choice but to go to a local branch,” so she decided to show her followers how she does it. Additionally, her allergy includes more than UV rays from the sun. She explains, “I will also react to the UV rays that come from certain lightbulbs.”
This means Emily is unable to go uncovered in public places even if there isn’t direct sunlight. Because she is unable to take off her UV gear, she understands that seeing her fully covered can be unsettling, especially in a bank setting. Emily says, “It is perfectly understandable why my appearance would give people a jump scare.” She explains that normally she won’t “physically go into” a bank. However, when she does have to, she has ways to make it work. First, she calls ahead and lets the managers know she’s coming. She often gets thanked for it, saying, “They appreciate my desire to not cause a panic.” However, Emily states this is done as a way to keep herself safe.
People React To Tennessee ‘Vampire’
Others have a mix in the comments. One person appreciates her notifying the bank managers beforehand, saying, “Calling ahead is a good idea because even pulling up in the car could cause concern if you were spotted.” Another person agrees, “As a bank employee, that is such a nice effort on your part! I’m certain they appreciate that a ton!” Meanwhile, a few do make vampire-themed jokes, such as, “Do you fly? I’d be curious what that looks like.”
However, others are curious about how else her allergy impacts her well-being. One commenter asks, “How do you get enough vitamin D? Do you take supplements all year?” Another asks, “How do you handle photo ID verification in situations like this?” A third asks, “Does standing in front of a window on a sunny day still hurt you?” For some of these, she answers in the comments and explains how she uses blackout curtains to keep the sunlight out of her house.
Other videos can be found on her channel @vampireisem, which often explores her daily life.
