To think Sunflower Lanyards have been hijacked

[Sharkology]

By those who just don't want to wear a mask in some cases rather than those who actually cannot wear a mask?

Fourth Avanti train trip this week, had three train journeys with them a couple of weeks back - either they have a bloody awesome EDI hiring policy, in which case it should be published as national pride, or some of their staff are taking the piss.

I've seen two members of staff out of around 50 actually wearing a face covering.

It absolutely devalues the sunflower lanyards for those who really need to use them. It's such a shame for all with hidden disabilities.

Oh yay. Another mask thread.

Ds is autistic. He has one but we have never used it.

I wasn’t a fan before all of this as it was all so ambiguous about what people wanted. Now it’s even worse

@Twelvetimestwo actually it's a lanyards thread... Feel free to find the exit and move along - nothing is stopping you.

I have a sunflower lanyard. But still wear a mask. I don't wear the lanyard though I feel embarrassed.

I've seen so many people on Facebook with a lanyard and no mask. People I know don't have a disability.

They were devalued from the start when anyone could self-declare that they were eligible. I'm sure there are plenty of people with severe PTSD or COPD or whatever that genuinely do find it unreasonably difficult to wear them, but my feeling is that most of the people claiming exemption had a preference rather than a need.

It has become the Lanyard of Entitlement.

You don't know they don't have a hidden disability. I think people should be encouraged to use them rather than worry people will think they are frauds. That's the whole point of them, to get people to think hang on I can't see this persons disability but that doesn't mean they don't have one.

Like with anything if course some people could be lying.

But we can't know who and someone's medical back ground is not my business. If they have a lanyard or say they are exempt then I take their word for it.

Its the only option really unless you want a complaint fir discrimination against disabled /sick people.

Well, in 12 days’ time it won’t matter.

There are very few genuine medical reasons why a mask can't be worn but I accept that some people don't feel able to wear a mask so for those people it makes sense to wear a sunflower lanyard to avoid being questioned

I mean what is the alternative? There is no way anyone can provide proof that they can't wear a mask.

Is it possible that the whole mask thing has just (1) made more people with hidden disabilities aware that sunflower lanyards exist and (2) made people with hidden disabilities more likely to want an external signal of the fact they have a disability because they're tired of having to explain themselves to strangers judging them for not wearing a mask?

I never had the need to explain my or DC's hidden disabilities to strangers before Covid, but now it's easier to wear a lanyard than to have to explain my life history to some nosey dickhead stranger.

Surely the fact that you are judging others and assuming that they don't have hidden disabilities is exactly why they feel the need to wear lanyards in the first place?

I think they are lost to their original purpose now (I'm talking the Pre Covid purpose of alerting people to hidden disabilities in settings like airports and supermarkets).

Like I said in the OP - if it is the case that they have hidden disabilities then Avanti should be absolutely praised at the highest level - because it is simply amazing that they have that number of staff hired by them with disabilities and medical conditions (and, I want a job with them because employer treatment of people with disabilities in my experience has mostly been consistently shite).

You're only just asking about this?

It must be a year now since masks were made compulsory on public transport and in shops and as soon as it happened people were wearing lanyards to falsely claim they were exempt from masks because you can't ask non mask wearers why they're exempt, so they just hide amongst people with general reasons.

It always amused me how many people are unable to wear a mask here in the UK but in Asia mask wearing is much more universal. We must be very sick people here.

@Aroundtheworldin80moves absolutely agree, which is going to make it really hard for those people / families who need to reply on them in post-covid times, sadly.

@Whoarethewho

It always amused me how many people are unable to wear a mask here in the UK but in Asia mask wearing is much more universal. We must be very sick people here.

Quite. Why does the UK have such a high level of exemption compared to just about everyone else. It must be 30-50% in some places.

I understand where the OP is coming from. In my work of 20 people there are 2 who have no disabilities and they wear a lanyard instead of wearing a mask, when in public. In work they just don't wear a mask.
That's 10% of our staff.

We know they are using the lanyard because they don't believe in masks because they have said so. They believe this entire pandemic is made up and a way of the government controlling us

@freelions I honestly think people who relied on the sunflower lanyards before are now going to have to come up with another alternative and it will sadly require medical sign off of some type...

I'd never heard of them until the last year.

I have actually just sent off for one (a proper one, not an amazon one) for my DD and a please give me space one. Not because she can't wear a mask (she does wear one), but because actually she has become highly anxious about germs and people. I'm not sure people will take much notice, but some staff in some places we have to go to will.

@Whoarethewho

It always amused me how many people are unable to wear a mask here in the UK but in Asia mask wearing is much more universal. We must be very sick people here.

I have to say I spent last week in England - I live in NE Scotland and I found there was a huge difference between the 2 countries.

So many more people in Scotland seem able to wear masks than where I was in East Anglia.

Around half the parents at my child’s school wear the lanyards. I do not believe they are all medically exempt from mask wearing. I have severe anxiety with panic attacks and the masks are uncomfortable for me as I feel like I can’t breathe sometimes (even though I know this isn’t the case) I still wear a mask, just take it slowly if I need to.

Lots of posters missing the point

OP I agree

It's lost its original meaning and propel are even referring to it as a "mask exemption" lanyard

I know of people getting them to avoid having to wear face masks

DC wears their lanyard. They look NT and it has helped when going on holiday or other places where people have been kinder, more patient because they are aware of what the lanyard meant

Now people in shops actually say "why are you wearing a mask, youve got your lanyard?"

The meaning s totally lost

And OP you're right about the train company. They should get an award for their commitment to diversity in their workforce

@SugarHouse1

It has become the Lanyard of Entitlement.

It's like anything, there will always be people who take the piss.

It was too easy to say masks made you 'distressed' 🤷🏽‍♀️