To remind people that the Sunflower Lanyard is for Hidden Disabilities, not a Mask Exemption excuse for anti-maskers.

[EmotionalSupportBear]

Just wanted to remind people that the Sunflower Lanyard is there to let people know that the person wearing it has a hidden disability.

The scheme has been around longer than Covid, and buying one to wear purely because you don't WANT to wear a mask makes you a complete -insert offensive word here-

Thank you.

(obviously if you have a hidden disability/legitimate reason to be wearing one for mask exemption, i'm not talking about you)

Ok so what you’ve done there is inadvertently devalue the sunflower lanyard.

Oh god
Not this again

The problem is - how can you tell the difference?

Problem is you get shit if you are unmasked and don't wear one.

@Shuffleuplove

Ok so what you’ve done there is inadvertently devalue the sunflower lanyard.

I think all the have already done that by spending the last 18 months buying sunflower lanyards and exemption cards off eBay, not the OP reminding people about the original purpose of them.

they are used to symbolise exemption where i work

we have loads to give away upon request too. not sure how i would go about changing that tbh

Well you are right. You can choose to wear a sunflower lanyard if you have a hidden disability. DD has worn hers in certain environments for years. I'm not sure what's controversial about that.

@Shuffleuplove

Ok so what you’ve done there is inadvertently devalue the sunflower lanyard.

Nah. It's not the OP who has devalued it

The sunflower lanyard used to provide my autistic DS with easy access to community support.
That has been removed by the blaggers.

I agree OP, my teenager has worn one since before covid, it was written into his travel training plan and just as it was getting more well known it was hijacked by the anti mask squad.

I have multiple hidden disabilities. I don't, as a matter of course, wear the bastard lanyard, because in normal times, I function OK with certain adaptations I make myself to my behaviour.

So when masks reappear, the bastard lanyard has to appear because the judgemental fuckwits also appear... and therefore - they think "oooh they've just put a lanyard on - they must be a mask-dodger." The reality is, unless you fancy me throwing up, melting down or having a panic attack by the Brussel Sprouts aisle in Asda (I've tried and tried - it has never ended well)... I can't wear a mask - and people are arseholes about it. My difficulties also are much worse when many people are masked around me - it triggers various responses in me - none of which are pleasant.

Of course that then feeds the "lanyard only came out for masks" narrative as well - when it's more like "twats came out for masks - lanyard came out for twats". I just want to keep my head down and get on with what's left of my life.

I don't wear one habitually - we have them on hand at home in case me or the child who has difficulties need to mark out needing support - but I don't personally want to have to go around marking myself out on a daily basis as having disabilities - and lanyards irritate the crap out me anyway, and the sunflower ones have a right itchy bit at the back near the clasp as well - so I don't tend to wear one unless I need to. That's probably why so many vanished when face masks did.

I’m exempt. I refuse to wear a lanyard as that’s not the purpose of them. I also refuse to wear a badge. If I’m challenged, I calmly reply that I’m exempt.

we must confuse the fuck out of people as ds can wear a mask but has used the sunflowers.

@5zeds

we must confuse the fuck out of people as ds can wear a mask but has used the sunflowers.

Ditto

I have autism, PTSD and sensory issues. I don't wear a sunflower lanyard in normal times because I don't really want to advertise the above when I can manage my symptoms or tell those that need to know.

Masks give me panic attacks and deep anxiety, plus sensory issues.
But not wearing a mask gives me extreme anxiety because of the mask pushers and the aggressive nature of lots of them.
So I have self excluded for the whole pandemic, become more insuler. This has not been good for my mental health and I have lapsed into severe depression. Which has made me self exclude more.

People should just mind their own business. Wear your mask or don't. They are not even medical grade or used in the manner they should anyway, festering with germs.

@5zeds

we must confuse the fuck out of people as ds can wear a mask but has used the sunflowers.

same. DS is autistic and i have ADHD/anxiety, we both use one, and wear masks.

I don't wear one habitually - we have them on hand at home in case me or the child who has difficulties need to mark out needing support - but I don't personally want to have to go around marking myself out on a daily basis as having disabilities - and lanyards irritate the crap out me anyway, and the sunflower ones have a right itchy bit at the back near the clasp as well - so I don't tend to wear one unless I need to.

Pretty much the same for both of my disabled DC. Their various conditions make them vulnerable and confer a degree of naivety, why would I advertise that to people? They also deserve to go about their daily business without a visual signifier that they're disabled because not everyone who sees a sunflower lanyard thinks "oh that person needs understanding send support", some people will see it and go out of their way to be a dick.

My son hates wearing his lanyard as he doesn't want to draw attention to the fact that he is autistic. He prefers to carry a card from NAS discreetly in his pocket.

Dd wears one proudly. She works in a place where customers are asked to wear masks and she wears one for as long as possible but sometimes has to take it off. But she also likes to be visible as a neurodiverse member of staff as she thinks it shows (children in particular) that they are represented within that organisation.

She had a similar issue with fidget toys. For her and ds a (silent, non flashing, discreet) fidget toy meant they could remain in the classtoom and learn when she was at school. Except everyone started to bring them in and they got noiser with flashing lights so they were banned.

The fact that you can't be questionned re why you are not wearing a mask and anybody can decide they are exempt without any medical back up required And you can easily download a pass from the internet to say you are exempt. All this makes it a free for all re mask wearing as far as I'm concerned.

People should just mind their own business. Wear your mask or don't. They are not even medical grade or used in the manner they should anyway, festering with germs.

Yep.

I have extreme difficulty wearing a mask. I attempted to at first purely to avoid confrontation but I'm not going to make myself feel ill and uncomfortable so that other people can have a false sense of security. I am ofc happy to social distance, which I practised even pre covid as I think it is basic manners to give strangers space.

Shop workers and bus drivers have tried to pressure me to wear a lanyard so you can't win. I have one that I now only wear for my hospital eye appointments (alternating with attempting to wear a mask when a staff member needs to come close to me).

@Postdatedpandemic

The sunflower lanyard used to provide my autistic DS with easy access to community support. That has been removed by the blaggers.

Yes this.

I think the National Autistic society should try and come up with a distinctive alternative. I have suggested this to them already via email, no reply though.

My kids and dh carry this www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/resources/downloads/i-am-autistic

Incidentally. I've not left the house since masks came back in - because of attitudes and assumptions we've seen the likes of on here.

@5zeds

we must confuse the fuck out of people as ds can wear a mask but has used the sunflowers.

I do this too.

I use my lanyard to hold my inhaler and disabled toilets key.

I used to wear mine but now It needs to be replaced by another different scheme, as the message is so mixed now.