I hate wearing the lanyard, it actually makes my sensory issue worse as I can't bear things around my neck
If it helps, there are alternatives to the lanyards like badges, patches, baseball caps & I think a few others are available from hiddendisabilitiesstore.com/shop.html.
I'm seeing comments like:
The fact that you can't be questioned re why you are not wearing a mask and anybody can decide they are exempt without any medical back up required.
What has ‘devalued’ the Sunflower Lanyard is that I can buy one for £2.99 on Amazon and have it in my possession tomorrow when I have absolutely no reason to wear one.
and what I see is that people think accomodations for disabled people have less value if they're easy to get, that we must get someone medical to verify for us since no one can be trusted to handle our own needs for something as simple as a fucking lanyard that might get us extra help. Apparently, without a doctor telling us it's okay for us to get that help, we just shouldn't have access to it or we devalue it. Do HCP give us value?
I mean, literally everything people are saying about the ease of getting sunflower lanyards can be said about RADAR keys. I can get one in pretty much any chemist, no questions asked. They can be bought online - I've actually done that. I know councils and charities that pass them out - no questions, no checks, anyone can do it. I can complain that there aren't enough public disabled toilets and they're too often put in ridiculous places without thinking RADAR keys need to be further restricted.
Remember, legally, the definition of a disability is a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities. If we consider a mask an everyday activity, then those who can't wear one without substantial negative effect can be said to fit that definition, even if they do not identify as disabled. It's not uncommon to find new issues when everyday life changes.
@EmotionalSupportBear YANBU to remind people that the Sunflower has for years been used to help people with hidden disabilities and bringing attention to the issues when social attitudes shift, often for commercial or political reasons like with fidget toys, about tools used to help disabled people.
However, continuing the attitude around that for any accommodation we should focus on 'people lying about disabilities' does little to stop shitty people and only perpetuates negative towards and by disabled people ourselves often against ourselves. I know people, and I've done it too, who pushed themselves too long and avoided getting help & accomodations because the social message is loud and clear that we have to do everything we can to make sure we're not 'fakers'.