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.

@withlotsoflove

Did u read what l wrote. I live in a small place. I know these people didn’t previously need any help. They now do. You do the math.

I did the math and it came out like this

withlotsoflove + abelist nonsense = worse help and support for people with disabilities

@WeatherSystems
What are u on about?
People that previously didn’t need a lanyard & are now aggressive with me need my help?
I think l will save my training for those that don’t swear at me & do!

You do understand that initially everyone that came to shop would have been given extra care don’t you?
What happened is that we carried on as if these customers were vulnerable in some way- only many times to be told to FUCK OFF.

I do have my own mental health to worry about too actually!

My DC have had a sunflower lanyard for years, its has been absolutely invaluable in airports in particular. Now its completely meaningless as it has definitely been abused during covid.

I have written to the National Autism society asking them to come up with an alternative for kids on the spectrum. I would suggest others do the same.

@SugarHouse1

It has become the Lanyard of Entitlement.

Please tell me how I'm entitled. I have autism, use a sunflower lanyard and wear a mask.

@Orf1abc

For those moaning about lanyards, what have you done to get the government to introduce an alternative, or a formal exemption scheme? Other countries have done it, why not ours? I've written to my MP, he didn't read the letter properly as his response suggested getting a lanyard.

The government don't give a shit about disabled people or the abuse that they get.

I agree with you re the government, they really don't give a shit about us. And I'd like to ask for an alternative or a formal scheme or whatever for mask exemption but I really don't have the energy. It's exhausting enough advocating for my own immediate disability-related needs. Which is how the government and society more generally keep disabled people subjugated, bc they rely on the fact that too many of us find just living with disability to add up to a job in itself

@23andbroke

I think you’re being a bit of a cunt, how can you possibly know they’re not exempt?

I have a skin disease that’s triggered by wearing masks. I was only diagnosed after a year of wearing masks and having constant painful and difficult to treat fungal infections on my lower face. If you saw me in person you wouldn’t think there was a single thing wrong with me, but you have to bare in mind that I work really hard to keep my disease in check so of course it’s not going to be immediately visible. Doesn’t mean I’m “taking the piss”. If my GP doesn’t mind me not wearing a mask, I really couldn’t give a fuck about what Karen thinks

It's not about being "exempt"

That's the whole point

Did you actually read the thread m?

And "Karens ". Really. Is that your level of debate.

My DD has stopped using hers. She used to use it when we were anywhere busy because she sometimes panics and bolts or melts down. Staff saw the lanyard and knew she was vulnerable and would ask if help was needed.
Last time DD wore it someone came up to her and said "why are you wearing a mask if you've got an exemption lanyard?"
DD didn't know what to say. I told the woman to go off and actually research the lanyards.

I really wish they had used a completely sperate lanyard for the masks. The sunflower one was slightly useful before but now is only associated with the lack of mask wearing.

With regards to amount of people, 3 out of 4 people living in my house are asthmatic so technically could be exempt but all choose to wear masks. I am not exempt but have another hidden disability that I used the lanyard for long before covid.

@MouldyPotato

People wouldn't pretend to have cancer or a physical disability so why assume they'd fake a hidden one? Or am I naive? They are welcome to my hidden disability if they would like it.

Seriously? You have no idea how many people self-diagnose autism?

So, reading this thread just proves why the UK has one of the worst death rates and number of cases from Covid in the entire World. We no longer visit our local Asda, because hardly any staff wear masks and I only noticed people wearing these lanyard things a few weeks ago.
In Asian countries there are no exemptions to mask wearing (apart from India and how is that working out for them?) and most of those countries have miniscule numbers of cases and deaths.
Why are a lot of people in the UK so ignorant and selfish?

I wonder if the number of blue badges for car parking would be static if the authentication process was removed and people could just apply based on perceived need

Well, parking spaces is a zero sum situation where one person committing fraud prevents another genuinely disabled person from being able to take advantage of a disabled parking space that they need.

Whereas for most service workers, being empathetic and understanding isn't limited to a set number of customers per day, so I think it's generally accepted that if there are more disabled people, service workers should be able to cope with being understanding to all of them and not just to the first 20 through the door.

My sister is mentally and physically extremely disabled. I ordered her a sunflower lanyard and the only card I could get for it that suited her was ‘I have a hidden disability’ ironic considering her disabilities are very very obvious.

She likes wearing it though, she puts it on as soon as she gets up and keeps it on all day, even if she’s not going out.

I do know one person who ordered one and wears it just cause they don’t want to wear a mask. I always thought they were an arse but this just cemented it.

I’m gutted as I had one before the pandemic for use at the airport - it allows me to skip queues. I only use it when travelling alone as I have sever Crohn’s disease and would be forever leaving the queue and rejoining at the back if I didn’t have the lanyard! I feel it’s a bit pointless now because everyone has one and I don’t know if they still mean the same thing...

It’s interesting that l commented on this thread to show my support for people needing extra help / using a lanyard genuinely - to be met with posters not even reading what l have written.
Previously l worked with people with Autism/ learning differences.
My own son & brother are on the spectrum. I am as far as removed from being disability unaware as they come.
Unless you’ve worked in retail during this pandemic, you’ll have no idea of the bastards that are out there… undermining systems and protective measures that we have in store to protect genuine users of the lanyard.

@MustStopSnacking28

I’m gutted as I had one before the pandemic for use at the airport - it allows me to skip queues. I only use it when travelling alone as I have sever Crohn’s disease and would be forever leaving the queue and rejoining at the back if I didn’t have the lanyard! I feel it’s a bit pointless now because everyone has one and I don’t know if they still mean the same thing...

Next you will see everyone in the airport que wearing one.

@Orf1abc

For those moaning about lanyards, what have you done to get the government to introduce an alternative, or a formal exemption scheme? Other countries have done it, why not ours? I've written to my MP, he didn't read the letter properly as his response suggested getting a lanyard.

The government don't give a shit about disabled people or the abuse that they get.

Disabled people already have to jump through enough arduous hoops just to fight for the daily living support they need - it's a constant battle already, so why should the burden of proving our disabilities to service workers (and the general judgey public whose opinion doesn't even matter) be on disabled people?

Why should disabled people do all the extra work of obtaining additional medical assessments (at the cost of the taxpayer) simply so a few judgey random strangers can rest easy that none of us is faking it?

YANBU to think it's been hijacked, though there have been some benefits of that as has been shown in this thread. I think there may be a need for a new symbol for hidden disabilities in some settings though, particularly airports where disability help and accessibility accomodations can be hit and miss already with significant consequences that the ambiguity could be an issue.

It isn't unfortunate that a lanyard that's meant to signal a possible need for help can be asked for by anyone, anymore that it is unfortunate that anyone can get a RADAR key or buy a walking stick without anyone checking. It's quite a difficult and lengthy process to get evidence and have it checked, and it was already stated early on that GPs and similar aren't going to give evidence for mask wearing - they've better things to do.

The issue is the sunflower lanyard has had a rush on them and it's been very public that some have just used them to get around the rules, unlike RADAR keys where there hasn't been much evidence that them being easy to get has had much of an impact. Making disabled people's lives easier and not have to prove ourselves for every little thing isn't a bad thing, it has many benefits, but there are some risks as all things do and this time a few have come up that will need to be considered for some settings.

I've got a friend, and herself and some of her other friends wear one as they don't wish to 'comply' with wearing a mask. None of them have a disability. Really pisses me off that they're using something that was for people with disabilities to 'pretend' they have one!

Seriously? You have no idea how many people self-diagnose autism?

Yes I have no idea how many people self-diagnose autism. Why would they do that? Just see the dr and get on the track for proper diagnosis.

Disabled people already have to jump through enough arduous hoops just to fight for the daily living support they need - it's a constant battle already, so why should the burden of proving our disabilities to service workers (and the general judgey public whose opinion doesn't even matter) be on disabled people?

Why should disabled people do all the extra work of obtaining additional medical assessments (at the cost of the taxpayer) simply so a few judgey random strangers can rest easy that none of us is faking it?

This. FUCK that. There's no need for a 'formal exemption' scheme. Some people just want it so they can force more to use a mask. Well, fuck that. Life is hard enough to have a hidden disability. And you try getting a GP or that type of appointment. Haahaaa. They have enough to do without handling social care like this.

Why are so many people seemingly ok with faking disability?! It's sick.

@MouldyPotato

Seriously? You have no idea how many people self-diagnose autism?

Yes I have no idea how many people self-diagnose autism. Why would they do that? Just see the dr and get on the track for proper diagnosis.

🤣🤣🤣

OMFG! That's hilarious! You really think that's how it works? 'Get on track'. They don't want to diagnose even children because then they qualify for - SHOCK! - social support, support in education, etc etc.

It took three years for my child to be diagnosed and that was with the school and social working pushing and pushing and pushing and his presenting in a classic and textbook fashion.

The fuck he needs to justify to judgy people why he doesn't behave in a NT fashion.

@MouldyPotato

Why are so many people seemingly ok with faking disability?! It's sick.

I don't have time to give a fuck about what other people are doing. Too busy fighting tooth and nail for every scrap of non-existent care (by what I bloody pay for privately) for my child to spend time registering who's wearing a mask and obeying 'the rules' or any other crap.

osbertthesyrianhamster I am sorry my only experience is with adult autism and they went to dr who then referred them and they got a diagnosis. I didn't know it was so hard.

@MouldyPotato

Why are so many people seemingly ok with faking disability?! It's sick.

Agreed

I worry for my DC that the misuse has lessened the likelihood of people helping them