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AIBU?

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Original poster

Sunflower lanyard mis-use.

89 replies

Userno36372846 · 26/02/2022 17:59

I know this has probably been said to death. But I want to vent.

I would like to begin with that Ds 11 has a hidden disability. He has worn a sunflower lanyard for the original purpose of showing you may need additional support in shops/airport etc! I feel they are now useless.

They had a purpose way before the pandemic but sadly I feel like the true meaning has been lost and everyone just thinks it's mask exemption, yet many who have a sunflower lanyard can wear a mask but are questioned why they wear a mask, if they have a lanyard 🤯

So much so, Ds hasn't really worn his at all recently. I sadly feel the true meaning is loss which is quite sad as around way longer than pandemic anyway.

Today we bumped into mil whilst out shopping, we are pretty close to her and know she does not have a hidden disability or she's keeping some secrets from us - She had a sunflower lanyard on - just because she doesn't want to wear a mask it seems.

  1. Masks aren't event mandatory. Even if you are exempt you don't need to prove it.
  1. She does not have a hidden disability. She does not have any illness or condition (unless she's kept it very secret) that stops her from wearing a mask. We've been out with her lots in the last year or two and she's always worn a mask. So why the lanyard now when it's not mandatory?
  1. I have been tried to advocate the true meaning of the lanyard on my Facebook, which she would have seen. Not trying to act like a know it all. But I feel they no longer serve a purpose for the most vulnerable in society.

Tbh, I'm livid. This is not hate against anyone wearing one. I don't know why others wear them, but mil has ticked me off today!

I'm just sad that anyone can just pick a lanyard up and wear it.

I believe there should be something new for people with true disabilities!

I've spoken to dp and he's just shrugged me off. I wasn't even wearing a mask today, I usually do but have ran you but you don't have to wear one so don't have to prove anything anymore. No one bats an eyelid if you don't wear one!!

I'm just annoyed. Not sure what the point of this post is.

She's a totally happy healthy woman wearing a stupid lanyard for no reason.

OP posts:
Mumofsend · 26/02/2022 18:00

My DD doesn't use hers as the meaning has been well and truly lost sadly. Big mistake tagging mask exemption onto them :(

Butwhereareyou · 26/02/2022 18:01

It’s not for no reason, though, is it? It’s obviously frustrating when the meaning of something adjusts and changes but that is what has happened here. I wore one as I couldn’t always wear a mask due to sickness - I don’t have a disability though.

Mumofsend · 26/02/2022 18:03

@Butwhereareyou someone could have made a different lanyard for mask exemption. It would have been easy enough to do. Now they are mask exemption lanyards, not "I need extra help" lanyards so it hasn't adjusted, just completely changed

gamerchick · 26/02/2022 18:03

Yes its irritating. There's plenty of PT on here who sighed when they brought them back in saying they'll have to dig out the lanyard again. Like disability is something that can be put in a box. The colour needs to be changed, it should have never been tacked on to that lanyard.

duvetdayforeveryone · 26/02/2022 18:03

Thank you for starting this thread. I completely agree with you!!!! The lanyards should have never been used as a mask exception tool!

Yet more proof no one cares about people with hidden disabilities :(

BritWifeInUSA · 26/02/2022 18:04

But you don’t know all of her medical history and conditions. And she doesn’t have to tell you.

Butwhereareyou · 26/02/2022 18:05

[quote Mumofsend]@Butwhereareyou someone could have made a different lanyard for mask exemption. It would have been easy enough to do. Now they are mask exemption lanyards, not "I need extra help" lanyards so it hasn't adjusted, just completely changed[/quote]
Well yes, but they didn’t, so what were those of us who couldn’t wear masks supposed to do? That’s a genuine sort of question by the way - not a tit-like response!

The one time I didn’t wear one and was on a rocky train I got told to wear a mask so many times - the lanyard stopped that.

tiredanddangerous · 26/02/2022 18:05

I completely agree with you op.

AffIt · 26/02/2022 18:08

@BritWifeInUSA

But you don’t know all of her medical history and conditions. And she doesn’t have to tell you.
There's always one 'but, but, but...!' on every one of these threads, isn't there?
Magicandspiders · 26/02/2022 18:09

YABU to be so bothered.

LibrariesGiveUsPower · 26/02/2022 18:11

I understand your frustration, but don’t direct it at your MiL. It’s not her fault mask exemption was tagged onto sunflower lanyards. Many of us needed a mask exemption lanyard.

I think the only real solution is to come up with a new lanyard for those that need more help.

WouldIwasShookspeared · 26/02/2022 18:12

YANBU but any system that relies on people's honesty and integrity is fucked tbh.

There will always, always be those who abuse it.

Gizacluethen · 26/02/2022 18:13

Well yes, but they didn’t, so what were those of us who couldn’t wear masks supposed to do?

Not wear a mask? And say you're exempt if someone asks . The lanyard doesn't even mean "mask exempt" anymore either it just means "I don't want to wear a mask but want to feel extra special/entitled about it."

There needs to be a new lanyard for those with hidden disabilities, scrap the sunflower and start again.

Original poster
Userno36372846 · 26/02/2022 18:13

@Magicandspiders

YABU to be so bothered.
I am bothered because the true meaning has been lost and they are effectively useless. People just think my son wears one to be exempt from masks, he wears it to signify he might need extra support!

I'm not blaming anyone. People were wearing them to show they were mask exempt and it was being encouraged.

BUT it makes me so sad how they were so readily available for anyone. I've heard of people just picking them up because they didn't want to wear a mask.

Mil was wearing it purely because she didn't want to wear a mask, no other reason. Masks aren't even mandatory anymore!

OP posts:
fairylightsandwaxmelts · 26/02/2022 18:15

Are you in England?

If so, nobody needs to wear a mask anymore so wearing a lanyard to say you're exempt is a bit pointless anyway.

Original poster
Userno36372846 · 26/02/2022 18:16

@fairylightsandwaxmelts

Are you in England?

If so, nobody needs to wear a mask anymore so wearing a lanyard to say you're exempt is a bit pointless anyway.

Yes and 100 %, this is why it baffles me!
OP posts:
Original poster
Userno36372846 · 26/02/2022 18:18

I was talking to someone a while ago saying how I'm not sure if my son would wear a mask if they were still mandatory when he turned 11 (only just 11 now). He is autistic and would struggle, my hate is not on mask exemption itself.. I was told by said person to get him a sunflower mask exemption lanyard . I said he already had one but not for that reason and informed them they were not purely for mask exemption.

I sound like a mad woman but I'm just annoyed tbh. I'll get over it. But I've tried to advocate so much without sounding like an ass!

OP posts:
Theunamedcat · 26/02/2022 18:20

There were plenty of lanyards on ebay saying mask exempt people just decided to use the sunflower lanyard fwiw my daughter wears one AND a mask we got challenged so often we responded in stereo! "Why are you wearing a mask AND a lanyard" "because the lanyard has nothing to do with mask exemption" people were stunned by the response every time and every time dd explained her adhd didn't stop her wearing a mask it just meant she needed extra help in certain situations

NoodleNuts · 26/02/2022 18:20

I didn't even know what a sunflower lanyard was before the pandemic so not too sure how much use they are anyway. If I saw one pre-2020, I would just think that someone had a nice flowery lanyard.

GirlInACountrySong · 26/02/2022 18:20

We (large retailer) have loads of lanyards. We were giving them out free along with masks at one point

Nobody ever really know the meaning of them before covid anyway. What extra help in a retail environment would an 11 year old need?

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 26/02/2022 18:22

Yes and 100 %, this is why it baffles me!

But my point is, she won't be wearing it to be exempt from mask-wearing as nobody has to wear a mask anymore.

So surely there's some kind of underlying reason you're not aware of?

ENoeuf · 26/02/2022 18:22

Because the government said you could self declare an exemption and no one could ask you. Didn’t promote its own cards / phone exemption card because it had said you don’t need to proof it.
Humans being humans anyone not wearing one got challenged/ shitty comments / snide glances and therefore found the lanyards and their exemption signs and not the government ones.

ENoeuf · 26/02/2022 18:23

*prove

BabyTurtIe · 26/02/2022 18:25

I am exempt from wearing masks but was told I was unreasonable for not wearing a lanyard so you can’t win! They are mandatory where I am anymore now though so who really cares this is old now

Original poster
Userno36372846 · 26/02/2022 18:25

@NoodleNuts

I didn't even know what a sunflower lanyard was before the pandemic so not too sure how much use they are anyway. If I saw one pre-2020, I would just think that someone had a nice flowery lanyard.
You'll be surprised. It's just not for retail environment either. A big part of their use was for airport use too, if a child or adult would get distressed into queue! A friend of mine said it was a great help when she went abroad ore pandemic - we have not been abroad.
OP posts: