Aibu or is this discrimination? Mask exemption

[Lowhangingfruit]

Got challenged in a pub about not wearing a mask. I have an exemption card, she said it wasn't a big deal just wear one. It's our policy. Then 2 people walk in not wearing masks and walk around and she didn't say a word to them??? So aibu to be pissed off.

In our local Sainsbury’s they constantly play a message saying some people can’t wear masks and they recognise that (and so should the self righteous cunts who stand there insisting a stranger relives their rape experience-or whatever stops them wearing a mask). I like that message. Yes there are a lot of people who are exempt. There’s lots of people who have been raped, suffered a trauma that involved inability to breathe leading to ptsd, lots of people who have physical problems that prevent them from wearing one. Just because you are lucky enough to be able to wear one doesn’t give you the right to act like a first class cunt. Most people are wearing them.

@berrygirlie I totally agree OP doesn’t have to answer, and is completely inappropriate to be questioned on it in a public place like a pub or shop

However I’m asking as it’s anonymous here and as I said there’s so much misinformation around masks. I’ve spoken to a lot of people with conditions like migraine and asthma, who are really worried cloth masks will exacerbate their symptoms or could be risky to their health, when it’s not the case. The only physical conditions that may contraindicate wearing a mask is things that cause severe lung stiffening like emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis. Even with those with such illnesses it should be considered on case by case basis as it’s not also going to problematic.

It’s a really tricky subject to communicate.

No, I hear what you're saying @Foliageeverywhere122 and I can understand what you mean. But I think there's already (even on page 2) of this thread an attitude of "disabled people should just stay home" and "you need to justify your disability in some way, and on top of that you might be killing people."

I'm sure there are some CFs who abuse the system when it comes to mask wearing, but that's not an excuse to harangue disabled people who don't need to justify their disabilities (not aimed at you specifically, more a general stance!)

To be clear to all the people saying non mask wearers put mask wearers at risk, that is just not statistically true. You wear a mask to protect the people around you. Not yourself. I have found that a vast majority of people wear masks and I'm grateful to everybody for doing so.

And it's not choice that I can't wear a mask. I have chronic sinusitis that has required surgery and I'm still waiting for a second surgery to correct issues. I also have a chronic MRSA. Infection in my sinuses and can't breathe through my nose at all.

That is enough to make me exempt.

But I was also raped repeatedly by a family friend as a child and when he would sneak into my bedroom he would put his hand over my mouth and nose. I can't even bear the feel of my own breath in my face never mind a mask. I had a total panic attack when I woke up in recovery with an oxygen mask on and had to be sedated. And if anybody comment at my non mask wearing it brings yet more shame and grief on me but I won't hesitate in telling you VERY loudly why I can't wear a mask and it won't be the sinus reason.

People who are able to wear masks should wear them. Those who are not able to wear them should not be made to feel unwelcome or unwanted. If you see someone not wearing a mask, unless you are employed by that location and have been instructed to ask people about their masks then it is not your business and you should move the fuck along.

Mask laws do not trump discrimination laws, disability is a protected characteristic and it would be unlawful to discriminate against someone not wearing a mask due to this.

Info graphic attached

Perhaps the ire being directed at people unable to wear masks should instead be directed at the people not wearing them properly? Nose hanging over the top or the mask being used as a chin-sling or forehead-warmer is far more annoying and the people not taking the mask wearing seriously are - in my experience - far more likely to also be lax on hand washing and social distancing.

Unfair to be inconsistent.

My opinion is that face shields should be for those who find masks difficult.

In Munich in September no exceptions and all wore face coverings or shields. I know we have poor air quality and obesity but exceptions seem to be abused too much.

Masks are only one level of protection measure, they're not a magical catch-all. The Swiss Cheese analogy explains it quite well. Someone not wearing a mask but still adhering to the other levels of prevention poses a low risk to others.

@FoxyTheFox

People who are able to wear masks should wear them. Those who are not able to wear them should not be made to feel unwelcome or unwanted. If you see someone not wearing a mask, unless you are employed by that location and have been instructed to ask people about their masks then it is not your business and you should move the fuck along.

Mask laws do not trump discrimination laws, disability is a protected characteristic and it would be unlawful to discriminate against someone not wearing a mask due to this.

Spot on

And I appreciate that some people will also be fine for a short time in a mask and then might struggle

Ive got some lovely cloth masks that i can wear for up to half an hour or so but i have to wear a disposable one for longer lengths of time

So i can understand that some people may struggle with anything longer

@HotPatootiebootie hilariously your diagram is from a fact checker website - the quote says “there is no reliable information on the specific chance of transmission”.

@Comtesse

If you remember our government said they didn't work AT ALL. So nobody knows why drs and nurses wear them 🤷🏼‍♀️😂

To be clear to all the people saying non mask wearers put mask wearers at risk, that is just not statistically true. You wear a mask to protect the people around you. Not yourself.
This doesn't make sense. I know my mask protects others, not me. Therefore a non mask wearer is putting me at risk if they unknowingly have Covid.

If you can’t wear a mask, wear a face shield. If you can’t wear a face shield, stay home. The fact that you have a ‘disability’ that prevents you from wearing a mask, doesn’t unfortunately make you immune from spreading Covid. Think of others.

The irony of you imploring disabled people to "think of others".

Disabled people have jobs, they have lives, responsibilities, children to take to school, elderly or vulnerable family members to support, shopping to do, bills to pay, they're also entitled to participate is any and all activities enjoyed by non-disabled people. Why should they be excluded from daily life?

As explained above, protection from spreading and contracting covid is a multi-layer system much like slices of Swiss cheese. The measures exist alongside each other so that those unable to comply with any one of the layers - in this case, mask wearing - can still pose a low risk of transmitting/contracting covid provided they are complying with the other protective layers.

There was a thread recently berating people for wearing a face shield

I think they are a good option for a lot of people

But not everyone

@HotPatootiebootie

that was actually the World Health Organisation who advised the government.

I don't quite understand the argument about not wearing the lanyard. It might save you being asked by workers who are only doing their job? If I saw someone not wearing a mask and no lanyard I might just think they are pulling a fast one - with a lanyard I probably would not feel the same way . I know its only a perception but whats the problem with wearing one ?

I know its only a perception but whats the problem with wearing one?

No disabled person is obliged to publicly declare their disability. There is a world of difference between discreetly informing a member only staff who asks about your mask that "I have a disability/exemption" and showing it to everyone in the vicinity by wearing a lanyard that identifies you as disabled. Attitudes towards disabled people are, at times, very negative and I can well understand why someone wouldn't want to 'advertise' that they have a hidden disability (and that's aside from the fact that no one is obligated to share their private information).

There is also the fact that the sunflower lanyard has been co-opted by those who seem to see it as a "get out of jail free" badge which makes it more difficult for those who do need/want one for legitimate purposes as people will just presume they're trying to con people on.

I had breakfast in a local pub one day, and the amount ouf people abusing staff for asking them to wear a mask was disgusting.

You have to wear it from the door, to your table, then you can remove it, the from your table to the door, whats the big deal??

I am an essential worker working without PPE (school). I wear a mask where I am required even though I struggle to breath when I do. I feel it's OK that you are being questioned of why you don't wear one doing a non-essential activity. Are you saying I can go shopping and say "I am exempt" and enjoy shopping mask free if I want to? The system is open to abuse. No offence, but this pandemic is not forever and if it's ok for me to subject myself to high risk every single day, it is ok for someone to be questioned for a proof of why they are mask exempt in a pub.

You have to wear it from the door, to your table, then you can remove it, the from your table to the door, whats the big deal??

Obviously no one should be abusing staff for doing their jobs.

Some people are unable to wear a mask due to disability or medical condition(s) - including mental health conditions such as PTSD - as wearing it will cause them pain, a worsening of symptoms, or distress. This will vary from individual to individual as disabled people aren't one homogeneous mass but the exemptions exist so that those who cannot wear it don't have to, as an example I have two disabled children with the same condition, one is able to tolerate a mask and the other is not so the one who can, does, and the one who can't, doesn't.

@emilyfrost

No lanyard or exemption card is even valid as it's based on self declaration, not some made up system that is then open to abuse.

HotPatootiebootie Self declaration is also a made up system open to abuse, and it is abused on a regular basis.

This absolutely! Most people who consider themselves ‘exempt’ just CBA to wear one, they are too ‘special’ The amount of genuine cases must be absolutely tiny considering in countries where the consequences for not wearing masks are tougher than the UK, everyone manages to wear a mask 🤷🏻‍♀️

Are you saying I can go shopping and say "I am exempt" and enjoy shopping mask free if I want to?

Only if you are actually exempt...

everyone manages to wear a mask

How do you know?

Just because everyone you see is wearing a mask doesnt mean that people who cant wear a mask don’t exist

I haven’t seen anyone today not wearing a mask

The system is open to abuse.

Then that is the fault of the system and not the fault of disabled individuals attempting to go about their daily business. Instead of suggesting that disabled/exempt people should be questioned wherever they go, perhaps you should instead write to your MP asking them to represent your views on flaws within the system.

Member of staff asking "do you have a mask?" is fine. Member of public advising "I'm exempt" is fine. The member of staff needs no further information that that and certainly has no legal right to question that person further.