Technically exempt

[Spanglebangle]

I am so fed up of hearing this phrase. No one is technically exempt from wearing a mask. If you can wear one you are legally required to do so.

Today my sister said proudly "I'm technically exempt from wearing a mask because of my autism but I wear one anyway to protect others"

She got really huffy when I told her that she was not exempt as she is perfectly capable of wearing a mask and was simply following the law like everyone else.

Does anyone else find this inexplicably infuriating?!

What they mean is they could use their diagnosis as an reasonable excuse why they don't want to wear one, but they don't, because they aren't a dick.

I'm austitic, I could be exempt if I felt I needed it, but I don't, so I wear a mask.

Some days I really struggle with the extra sensory load and may remove my mask for a few seconds.

I have my diagnosis letter in my purse and I'm not afraid to show it to anyone that dares to challenge me.

@TransplantedScouser

Reading the responses to that thread about this issue, I'm left feeling traumatised as to how I could ever recount the sexual abuse I went through in my childhood to police officers in the middle of a supermarket.

And unfortunately I do not have the means to take it further so would quietly leave the premises if asked to do so.

@TransplantedScouser

Should I have to relive the details to every fucker who asks? Even my own mother I haven’t told. My DH does know but for obvious reasons.

I’ve never told another soul. I doubt if I phoned my gp they would take my word as I haven’t been there in five years! It was never an issue!

No. You shouldn't.

My dad (ECV) would be horrified by the idea that someone like you should be forced/persuaded to wear a mask.
He'd stand in protest for your right not to wear one. (Nearly passing out through bloody mindedness of standing too long silly sod)

You aren't 'technically exempt' you ARE exempt. And that's why the rules are as they are. It's not always simple.
And for you

@BentBastard

Yes of course. If he can wear it, he wears it and if he can't he's exempt.

There's nothing in the law stating exemption status must remain fixed for the duration of the pandemic. In fact it's clear that the mask can come off if it needs to.

However being exempt and non exempt within 3 minutes is ridiculous isnt it.

[quote Shehz21]@TransplantedScouser

Reading the responses to that thread about this issue, I'm left feeling traumatised as to how I could ever recount the sexual abuse I went through in my childhood to police officers in the middle of a supermarket.

And unfortunately I do not have the means to take it further so would quietly leave the premises if asked to do so.[/quote]
to you too

When I see people without masks in supermarkets I deliberately smile at them. I presume there is a reason why they're not wearing one. I don't know why, and I don't want them to worry I'm judging them. I know there are many reasons.

Not really. It's because people think about it being a person being exempt or not, black or white. It's more about situations.

Can you wear a mask? If you can - wear it, and if you can't - don't and you won't get in trouble for it.

I'd imagine other people also might be able to wear a mask in one situation but not in another.

Clarity - proper clarity - from the Government would be helpful.

Personally I don't think it wants to lift the lid on the big lie of entitlement (lack of) to disability benefits.

It doesn't want to have to explain why so many disabled people with medical diagnoses mysteriously aren't entitled to, say, PIP, because they didn't manage to jump through the bureaucratic hoops explaining how their conditions affect them in terms of certain rigid categories to the satisfaction of a rushed assessor.

And then along comes Covid. The Government benefits from pretending it's temporary and that self-declaration is suddenly ok. Covid starts to overwhelm the country and is obviously going to go into Year 2.

What is the Government to do?

What it usually does. Head in sand.

@RachelHRD

This stuff that people post: He claimed he was exempt but wouldn't give the reason for exemption. I pulled him up on it and he smirked that he was exempt but wouldn't elaborate so I doubt very much he was. really annoys me. People who are exempt don’t have to give a reason and someone not elaborating doesn’t mean they aren’t exempt. Have you seen how people on here get dissected and told they don’t have a good enough reason if they say why they are exempt? Why would anyone exempt want to disclose their medical information to random strangers and have the pleasure of that happening to them in person?

That reply was for stopthetrain btw

I am exempt as I have fragile oxygenation and a mask can cause me to desaturate dramatically. However I can usually get away with about 45 mins before it kicks into high gear, so I dont wear a mask outside (I live in a part of the US where this is now required) and save my mask wearing for when I am inside a shop or doctors office etc where the risk of me catching or passing on Covid is much higher. I was at the doctors for too long the other week and started to feel dizzy, so instead of waiting inside, I went outside the building (and removed my mask) and a nurse was kind enough to call me back inside when they were ready for my next test.
We live in unusual times and are having to do unusual things. We just all need to keep on going as best we can while helping others around us as best we can.

Thank you @poshme

This thread seems like it's from another world.

The thread I read earlier on about how everyone was praising the police officers for making the woman leave the premises for not divulging why she is exempt gave me the chills.

Definitely more clarity from the government but I wonder how proof of exemption would be given out to victims of abuse.

@Shehz21

Thank you *@poshme*

This thread seems like it's from another world.

The thread I read earlier on about how everyone was praising the police officers for making the woman leave the premises for not divulging why she is exempt gave me the chills.

Definitely more clarity from the government but I wonder how proof of exemption would be given out to victims of abuse.

Obvs the problem with masks is people can't see I'm smiling.

Anyway, if you see a slightly crazed woman crinkling her eyes at you madly in the supermarket, maybe it's me trying to smile...

@Shehz21

Thank you *@poshme*

This thread seems like it's from another world.

The thread I read earlier on about how everyone was praising the police officers for making the woman leave the premises for not divulging why she is exempt gave me the chills.

Definitely more clarity from the government but I wonder how proof of exemption would be given out to victims of abuse.

The Sainsbury's woman was there with a bloke and is a Twitterati anti-masker & covid denier and the police were called by the supermarket because of her disruption prior to the footage, allegedly.

If true, she's not doing disabled / exempt people any favours.

I'm disabled and I really don't need that woman's brand of activism, thanks.

I think what is meant is ‘I would be allowed exemption but I actually can wear a mask.’ I have bad claustrophobia and it exacerbated by things over my face. I just put up with it.

Like technically being a key worker... in financial services. Yeah...

It's a difficult one really. A friend who has an autistic child has a hidden disability lanyard as most days her child tolerates a mask but has one in case of a particularly sensory day. My autistic dd prefers to wear one on the rare occasions she has left the house. I am asthmatic and generally tolerate a mask for 30 minutes or so. However on a longer visit I started to struggle so had to ho outside and remove my mask.

@JamieLeeCurtains nailed it at 00.07

Two programmes coming up on BBC2 ................Silenced The Hidden Story of Disabled Britain. And Targeted The Truth About Disability Hate Crime.
Could be a chance for people to share their experiences of mask exemption hatred on the Twitter hashtags.

@MercyBooth

I don't regard myself as disabled nor do I need any extra funds or protection from crime.

I have an issue with the disabled tag - I have PTSD if it has to be named.

Before 24th July 2020 I never had an issue.

It annoys me too OP. It's always used to criticize other people. When masks first became compulsory in shops, a facebook friend posted that she's "legally exempt" because she's a wheelchair user, but wears one anyway so has no sympathy for people who don't.

I wanted to comment "if you can wear one, you're not exempt!" but decided it was wiser not to. I'm also not sure why being a wheelchair user with a condition that affects her hips would give her any insight into having asthma, PTSD, SPD or anything else that might affect mask wearing.

@FlyMyPrettiesFly

Given the amount of shit non-mask wearers get, I’ve no idea why someone who could wear one would try to get out of doing so.

👍🏻

First payout to a customer who wasn't admitted to a shop after saying they were exempt has been awarded. £7,000.

Think on that before you go round challenging non mask wearers and asking them for "proof" of their disability.

Disability is a protected category just like sexuality. We don't go asking gay people for "proof" they are gay. By saying you want proof of someone's personal medical situation you ARE discriminating. By harassing them, or demanding that they been removed from the premises, you are committing a crime.

I understand what you mean, OP. It's an issue of logic. Exemption from mask wearing is defined as being unable to wear a mask (rather than as suffering from any specific condition). Therefore, if you can wear a mask, by definition, you are not exempt.

If people are saying they are exempt but are wearing one anyway for the sake of others, I would see that as mildly annoying and meaningless virtue-signalling.

I agree.

You are excempt if for a number of reasons you can't wear one.

You aren't excempt if you have one of the conditions listed if you can wear one.

There is no technically about it. The wording is clear. "If you cannot wear one for x number of reasons"

@kennypowertesticle I understand what you're saying and I'm not normally one to intervene especially as I have 2 children with disabilities but if you had seen the way this guy was behaving it was very obvious he could wear a mask if he *wanted to.