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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Aibu or is this discrimination? Mask exemption

278 replies

Lowhangingfruit · 04/12/2020 16:37

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.

OP posts:
loulouljh · 04/12/2020 20:39

I am horrified by the reactions to people who are exempt. What utter contempt. Shame on you.

And why would someone have to explain why they are exempt to some random in a pub!!!! Their personal medical information? Seriously. Get a grip and some compassion.

Wannakisstheteacher · 04/12/2020 20:40

In my opinion not wearing a mask but going to the pub is taking the piss. Why should everyone else just swallow up the risk you pose going somewhere totally non essential?

Lalliella · 04/12/2020 20:41

@HotPatootiebootie

The hate towards disabled people on here is breath taking.

Yes I am exempt from wearing a mask. I have chronic sinusitis, MRSA, ptsd from childhood sexual abuse, I'm clinically extremely vulnerable due to several Auto immune diseases and being on chemo and biological injections, I have a blue badge.....

...... and I'm supposed to just get the hell on with mask wearing or stay at home? Surely it would be for the greater god to just euthanise me and save the benefit payments too?

How disabled and how many reasons should I have to be mask exempt for you haters? Or should I just get on with the euthanasia ?

Wouldn’t it be better for your own health if you stayed home as much as possible for the time being?
Girlyracer · 04/12/2020 20:41

Well from the various threads I've read over the months, and on this subject, we must have about 70% some form of obvious or hidden disability going on among the UK population. I don't know how we're going to pay for it all.

Cloudhopping · 04/12/2020 20:42

Foxy are you saying that as a healthcare professional spending up to 45 minutes with someone in a room face to face, I should not be able to ask them why they’re not wearing a mask and just accept it? My role is very carefully risk assessed and I social distance where possible but due to the nature of what I do, there are times where I can’t.

HotPatootiebootie · 04/12/2020 20:42

@Piwlyfbicsly

Maybe you could make them wear some form of distinguishable item. Like a uniform the prisoners wore in a concentration camp. Could have a range of symbols on to say if we have been vaccinated or not too or if we are a blood donors or organ donors. We need to be useful some how don't we. How do you plan to fund this scheme? Because our government didn't even want us to wear masks as they aren't useful in preventing the transmission of the virus. Then they were. How long until we don't even need to wear masks at all and then a week later I finally get a card to prove I'm not a liar?

FoxyTheFox · 04/12/2020 20:43

No one here thinks it’s ok to discriminate against disabled people

There have literally been several posts stating this exact thing.

I think that those who are exempt from mask wearing should restrict their outings to essential ones only

Once again: people who are exempt have the right to live their lives and partake in the same activities and opportunities as non-exempt people.

Perhaps those who are not exempt should stay at home as much as possible and only make essential trips so that those who are exempt can have free reign over where they go and what they do? No? Well then why is it okay to say exempt people - many of them disabled - should withdraw from public places?

Original poster
Lowhangingfruit · 04/12/2020 20:43

[quote Piwlyfbicsly]@RufustheSniggeringReindeer
But noone can question me according to OP.[/quote]
No she asked and I told her I was excempt. I get questioned I answered politely.

OP posts:
Grenlei · 04/12/2020 20:44

If all those discriminating against the disabled on this thread were genuinely worried about contracting CV and not just being goady disablist fuckers, they would be staying at home themselves for anything other than essentials! Not berating the OP and any other disabled person for daring to go to a pub...

HotPatootiebootie · 04/12/2020 20:45

@Lalliella I've got 4 kids and am a full time carer for my autistic son. Food doesn't buy itself and I can't put my life on hold. I'm also no polar and total isolation is very bad for my mental health. So I go out once a week to food shop and it's always when it's first thing and quiet. Other than that I'm more likely to get corona from my kids coming in from school and college.

Original poster
Lowhangingfruit · 04/12/2020 20:45

@Wannakisstheteacher

In my opinion not wearing a mask but going to the pub is taking the piss. Why should everyone else just swallow up the risk you pose going somewhere totally non essential?
Forgive me for needing a wee. And wanting to help support a local business. Hmm
OP posts:
FoxyTheFox · 04/12/2020 20:45

are you saying that as a healthcare professional spending up to 45 minutes with someone in a room face to face, I should not be able to ask them why they’re not wearing a mask and just accept it? My role is very carefully risk assessed and I social distance where possible but due to the nature of what I do, there are times where I can’t.

As a "healthcare professional" I would presume you have the sense to realise that there are people exempt from mask wearing and that no amount of asking them why is going to magically make them able to wear a mask?

I had surgery not long ago and wasn't wearing a mask post-op due to clinical need. The staff somehow managed to cope.

FoxyTheFox · 04/12/2020 20:46

In my opinion not wearing a mask but going to the pub is taking the piss. Why should everyone else just swallow up the risk you pose going somewhere totally non essential?

Why should only non-disabled/non-exempt people be allowed to go to the pub?

RufustheSniggeringReindeer · 04/12/2020 20:47

As handy as it would have been to have proper medical examption ‘proof’ of one sort or another

The fact is we dont have that...people can’t get their dr to write a letter or an official form from the government

So in the absence of that... what happens?

Spikeyball · 04/12/2020 20:48

"I think that those who are exempt from mask wearing should restrict their outings to essential ones only"

So why doesn't that apply to everyone? After all you can still spread it with a mask on and your general behaviour or number of social contacts may make you a greater risk to others.

Wannakisstheteacher · 04/12/2020 20:48

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Original poster
Lowhangingfruit · 04/12/2020 20:49

[quote HotPatootiebootie]@Lalliella I've got 4 kids and am a full time carer for my autistic son. Food doesn't buy itself and I can't put my life on hold. I'm also no polar and total isolation is very bad for my mental health. So I go out once a week to food shop and it's always when it's first thing and quiet. Other than that I'm more likely to get corona from my kids coming in from school and college. [/quote]
That must be difficult. Life isn't easy at the best of times. Hope you have some support network x

OP posts:
Meatshake · 04/12/2020 20:49

I'm autistic, and for the most part I can wear a mask when required. However it causes massive problems with my ability to communicate effectively, so there are points where I choose not to wear a mask. These points are: drop off and collection at the preschool gates and in an exceptionally busy environment. I become non verbal and can head towards and autistic shut down, which is kind of like a melt down but less explosive, think a computer crashing because it is running too many programs. If I manage my stressors this is unlikely to happen, but wearing a mask to me is like taking a blind persons stick. I can not make eye contact and I do not have expressive eyes , so the levels of communication that are available to me are speech only. It means that I miss out on a lot of subtext and misunderstand things.

I don't like to advertise my disability with a lanyard because being taken advantage of is likely- people target autistic people. In the past three years I've been conned twice by people, only for small amounts of money (

Original poster
Lowhangingfruit · 04/12/2020 20:50

@Wannakisstheteacher

Nope. Taking the piss. You can support local business without risking other people. What gives you the right to put other people at risk when they are all wearing masks to protect you?
So I should wee in the street?Cake
OP posts:
RufustheSniggeringReindeer · 04/12/2020 20:50

@Girlyracer

Well from the various threads I've read over the months, and on this subject, we must have about 70% some form of obvious or hidden disability going on among the UK population. I don't know how we're going to pay for it all.
And i think this is bollocks

I do not and have never seen 70% of people not wearing masks

I see at least 90% wearing them

Might be down to different areas maybe?

Original poster
Lowhangingfruit · 04/12/2020 20:52

[quote Meatshake]I'm autistic, and for the most part I can wear a mask when required. However it causes massive problems with my ability to communicate effectively, so there are points where I choose not to wear a mask. These points are: drop off and collection at the preschool gates and in an exceptionally busy environment. I become non verbal and can head towards and autistic shut down, which is kind of like a melt down but less explosive, think a computer crashing because it is running too many programs. If I manage my stressors this is unlikely to happen, but wearing a mask to me is like taking a blind persons stick. I can not make eye contact and I do not have expressive eyes , so the levels of communication that are available to me are speech only. It means that I miss out on a lot of subtext and misunderstand things.

I don't like to advertise my disability with a lanyard because being taken advantage of is likely- people target autistic people. In the past three years I've been conned twice by people, only for small amounts of money (

OP posts:
CatholicKidston · 04/12/2020 20:52

Well if covid has proved anything it's that disability discrimination is alive and well. Some really patronising, hateful comments on this thread.

Cloudhopping · 04/12/2020 20:52

Foxy if only it were that easy. I had an appointment with someone last week who wasn’t wearing a mask. When I asked her why (in a very polite manner) she replied ‘because I don’t want to’. She had no illness. Am I just not to ask and get on with it

FoxyTheFox · 04/12/2020 20:52

What gives you the right to put other people at risk when they are all wearing masks to protect you?

Masks are only effective when used in combination with other infection control measures so, provided those other measures are employed, the presence of a mask-exempt person is not going to massively increase anyones risk.

FoxyTheFox · 04/12/2020 20:54

I had an appointment with someone last week who wasn’t wearing a mask. When I asked her why (in a very polite manner) she replied ‘because I don’t want to’. She had no illness. Am I just not to ask and get on with it

Thats not an exempt person though and your employer should have policies in place for that.