Can we please have something done about the ableism and mask exemption hatred on here.

Ableism is equivalent to racism under the equality act and should be given equal weight when dealing with it.
Amen to that.

While I don't agree that ableism is comparable to racism I am genuinely interested in how this should be approached.
With no clear guides or formal exemption how could this be managed? The sunflower lanyards are meaningless as anyone can get one, simply saying 'I'm exempt' means it's open to abuse and many people claiming they simply can't wear a face covering actually can (many mild asthmatics* for example are fine wearing one but could say 'I'm asthmatic do exempt). Is requiring a formal exemption card certified or provided by a HCP the answer so anti-maskers or Covid deniers are obvious?

I was at my GP the other day who have a sign saying if you're not wearing a face covering you won't be seen including those with exemptions. So no mask, no admittance regardless of your circumstances which on one hand I agree with because it's a GP practise and any safety measures are to protect a vital service, but on the other hand if someone with eg. COPD* needed to see a doctor and they are running late (25 minutes late when I was there) it's potentially a long time to have a covering on if you genuinely struggle to breathe with it on.

*I have used these as examples because they are conditions I'm familiar with. My dh is moderately asthmatic and wears a mask, my late DGM had COPD and was on oxygen. Had she still been alive she would not have been able to wear a mask with the oxygen lines.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/a4134127-to-ask-if-anxiety-is-an-acceptable-excuse-for-not-wearing-a-mask?msgid=103596053#103596053

And now this one, in case I'm the first to link it. There's mask exemption hatred everywhere on here.

I work for information and advice service for people with learning disabilities. They are experiencing issues because doctors don't give exemptions so it is being self policed. Many have breathing difficulties, anxiety, not fully understanding the rules. They are feeling harassed when they go out. We have suggested sunflower lanyards and we are issuing a letter from the CCG and council. However some people are staggeringly discriminatory on this forum. Ableism is equivalent to racism under the equality act and should be given equal weight when dealing with it.

Thank you.

I deleted them. But if I get more I will report. I know others have had PMs as I've contacted them to offer support and got a reply days later apologising for not replying before because they were too afraid to open them having had nasty PMs.

You have had PMs @Becca19962014?

Was just coming here to make this thread. It's not only on threads it's spilling into PMs as well. It's disabalism. Again

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4133141-Sainsburys-and-Morrisons

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4132982-morrisons-to-ban-shoppers-who-refuse-to-wear-face-masks

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4132841-How-should-masks-be-enforced-in-public

There's lots of people saying not to do anything about coronavirus and everyone who's vulnerable should stay at home or just maybe die. I feel like that's more anti disabled.

I would have thought that saying that vulnerable people should stay at home, ie shield, is the exact opposite of wanting them to die.

I agree..some people have been vile.

and

@frazzledquaver, very well said.

I'm not sure if it was this resurrected thread, or another more recent, but the people who simply don't want to wear one, and know that they aren't going to be challenged, are doing a huge huge disservice to those who genuinely can't. The appropriation (almost) of disability by these people is appalling.

There is exemption written into the legislation of most countries I imagine. Here in Italy if you can't wear one, you can't. It's written in the government DPCMs. (emergency legislation) I'm not sure it's being abused as much as in the UK though.

There is absolutely a fairly strong anti-mask minority in the UK. I've seen it on local Facebook groups and other groups as well as twitter. As a parent to a child with a disability, I'm extremely angry that these groups have appropriated disability legislation - they are constantly misinterpreting the Equalities Act. Some are claiming to their schools that their kids are exempt and threatening to sue the school for enquiring what disability the child has that makes them exempt. If you genuinely have a child in school who has a disability, you will have a much better understanding of how this works, you will have argued the toss for years about reasonable adjustments and what is "reasonable". You will have encountered ablism. You will have had to go to great lengths to educate the school about what your child's disability is and why that means they need the adjustments. I think we do best to direct our anger at these people. On the other hand, I don't think there is anyone who likes wearing a mask. Neither do clinically vulnerable, many of whom may be disabled, enjoy having to lock themselves away because of the pandemic. I suggest we all direct our anger towards people who aren't exempt who refuse to wear a mask because of their own pathological selfishness (which they justify to themselves with false science).

France, Spain and Germany too also have exemptions.

Given exemptions only exist in the UK

Mask exemptions do not only exist in the U.K. A quick Google shows that there are exemptions in U.S.A, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. I'm sure there are others.

Not bothered about you referencing casual racism at all. It has to be called out

Sorry @DeeCeeCherry I havent been on the same threads as you I didnt mean to upset anyone

Are you in the States. Ive seen a lot of anti mask selfies taken in stores on the news but the ones ive seen seem to be happening in America. Not saying it doesnt happen here (im sure it does) but the news items about maskless selfies in stores that ive seen are in the States.

That's right - It's not about racism. So stating racism isn't tolerated here when blatantly, it is, needed correction.

Mercy booth You are not my subtitle. It's fine to contribute to thread without referencing me several times and I've no idea what (or why) you're even talking about background of poster at all. You mentioned it - I didn't. If you're bothered about me referencing casual racism that's on you, doesn't change what I see and think at all.