Friday 10-12-2021 - 11:10

Ahead of “Plan B” kicking in over the weekend, I have decided to write a quick blog post to explain why a sunflower lanyard DOES NOT mean the wearer is exempt from wearing a mask. Everyone has seen these lanyards suddenly appearing on and off campus, often (especially in the past two years) as an all-access pass not to wear a mask.

 

But we need to iron out that is not what these lanyards mean as they have their own specific purpose!

 

Why and when were the lanyards introduced?

 

The sunflower lanyard scheme was introduced as a way to discreetly indicate to others that the wearer has a hidden disability.

 

Launched in 2016 at Gatwick Airport, the sunflower lanyard was a quick and discreet way for disabled people to alert that they may need assistance navigating the terminals. Since then, the popularity of the lanyard has grown, and is now recognised at international airports, cinemas, shopping centres, etc., as more and more places distribute the lanyard.

 

They are free to pick up at places such as UK airports, supermarkets, railway stations and sports venues, and have grown exponentially after Sainsburys picked up the scheme and popularised its usage.  

 

 

What does the sunflower lanyard mean?

 

Society has expectations that people are capable of certain things, and that people behave a certain way. The environment we live in is also geared to suit certain types of people.

 

Those who do not fit this stereotypical mould, need accommodations and reasonable adjustments. We are disabled people.

 

There are a few disabilities that are immediately obvious, such as when someone is using a mobility aid.

 

There are, however, many disabilities that are hidden. These disabled people still need the adjustments, the accommodations, but we also need a way to communicate this need. Especially if one of the adjustments we need from non-disabled members of society is around communication.

 

To be clear, there are many disabled people who are exempt from wearing masks, and it would seem that a lot of the confusion is that non-disabled people, or even visibly disabled people, put two and two together.

 

They have seen a person wearing a sunflower lanyard saying they are exempt from wearing a mask (as may well be the case) and decided to appropriate the lanyard for themselves.

 

Because the lanyards are so widely and easily available, this has led to any person appropriating this hidden disability aid and using it to justify their refusal to wear a mask, whether they are exempt or not.

 

Aside from the obvious danger of a free-pass to avoid mask wearing, it also devalues the meaning of the Sunflower lanyard’s original purpose.

 

 

So, who can wear a sunflower lanyard?

 

Anyone can wear a lanyard!

 

This is not something that is policed, there are no restrictions on wearing a lanyard. However, Sunflower Lanyards are specifically for those of us with hidden disabilities! So, if you do not consider yourself disabled, should you really be wearing one?

 

The Equality Act 2010 is clear – there is no legal, definitive way to decide who is disabled or not; you know if you are or if you are not.

 

The law states that to identify as disabled, you have "...a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial or long-term negative effect on one's ability to do normal daily activities..." And there is no call for an official medical diagnosis to identify as disabled.

 

Not being able to wear a mask, in and of itself, does not mean that you have a hidden disability, and does not mean you should be wearing a sunflower lanyard.

 

And because someone is wearing a sunflower lanyard, does not in and of itself, mean the person is exempt from wearing a mask!

 

Mask wearing and having a hidden disability are two distinct topics and therefore should be treated as such.

 

 

What is a hidden disability?

 

Globally 1 in 7 of us live with a disability. And of those, 80% are invisible. That is 1 billion people who are living with a non-visible, or hidden, disability.

 

"Hidden disabilities" means a disability that is not always immediately obvious to others. It does not mean we are hiding it. Hidden, or "non-visible" disabilities are named this way because you cannot always easily see the nature of the disability. 

 

Also, some people might have a ‘dynamic disability’ - sometimes they might use a mobility aid, but other times they might not need it. Likewise, sometimes they might need to use a priority seat on busy public transport, other times they may not feel they need to.

 

They can be physical, mental or neurological and include, but are not limited to, neurodiversity, cognitive impairments such as dementia, as well as mental health conditions, and speech, visual impairments or hearing loss. 

 

They also include respiratory and chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, chronic pain and sleep disorders when these significantly impact day-to-day life. And often, many people experience a combination of both visible and non-visible impairments and conditions.

 

Just because you cannot immediately see a disability, does not mean it is not there!

 

 

Cool, where can I get a sunflower lanyard? And what should I do if I am exempt from wearing a mask?

 

If you have a hidden disability, you can pick up a sunflower lanyard for free from one of the supporting businesses. Have a look here for a map of your nearest location to obtain one. 

 

Alternatively, they can be bought, alongside many other useful aids, directly from the Hidden Disabilities website, for a small fee.

 

If you are exempt from wearing a mask, you can contact the Inclusion Team, and explain your need of the pink lanyard. Once they confirm, you can then collect a pink lanyard for use on campus from the helpdesk in the Catalyst building, at the Ormskirk ahead campus.

 

Please, do not use the sunflower lanyard if you do not have a hidden disability. This is appropriation and diminishes the real message behind the lanyard. If you are unable to wear a mask, for whatever reason, please use something else to show your exemption.

 

Please, leave the sunflower to those of us who actually need them!