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Face Covering

Tanuki

Has anyone else experienced extreme abuse over not being able to wear face mask ?

I seriously have tired different masks and problem with sensory processing has made it challenging, Honestly i would be ecstatic to be able to wear a face mask because i have issues expressing mood in my facial expression and it would hide the issue that make others uncomfortable. I've tried getting a exemption card but they have been out of stock for the last few weeks and i personally cannot deal with individuals physical grabbing and assaulting me because i am not wearing mask. i am wearing the sunflower lanyard and they still think its OK to come up to me, grab me and aggressive interrogate me, its not the retail staff its random strangers and it has lead to me having a few meltdown in the local supermarket its gotten to the stage i am refusing to leave the house. 

The worst experience i have had is someone saying i am using autism as an excuse not to wear mask and i don't look autistic, it is not the autism that stopping me from wearing the mask. it the impact of my stupid brain translating the sensation of the mask as discomfort and pain that lowers my tolerance to other stimulation that leads to meltdown. I also get the same abuse when i use sunglasses and headphones when i am shopping, attending hospital appointments and in some work environments.

In the supermarket the other day someone claimed they where a nurse and shouted over an entire isle how would i manage if i was on a ventilator and another self claimed nurse suggested that i would properly be sedated to stop me from inflicting self harm and harming others and it resulted in two grown women which i don't actually know either one of them fighting in the middle supermarket. when they where done fighting one of these self claim nurses partner who continued to shop after his partner was escorted out of the shop followed me round the supermarket making comments such as how do you manage to blow your nose. I feel extremely embarrassed as my nineteen year old niece had to get him to back off.

I have an exemption letter from my General Practitioner that i carry with me everywhere when i am out shopping , but showing it to these people results in an abusive speech on how i should be quarantining or anyone can be diagnosed with autism, sensory processing disorder and Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder these days to get out of working and how their taxes pay for my benefits.

My question is has anyone else experienced anything similar ? and How did you manage the manage the situation ? 

  • I have not had any problem at all, or noticed any 'funny looks' and I have not worn a mask at all.

    There is a lot of ignorance regarding exemptions among the general population.  I can understand a very small shop serving people at the door as there is probably a need to exercise a bit more social distancing but there is never any need for abuse from anyone.  However, people don't think about exemptions, however many cards you carry.  They see someone not complying with what they see as 'rules'.  And there are a lot of busybodies about.  The fact you are complying with the rules because you are exempt does not occur to them. 

    This was exacerbated by Cressida D**k who said the police had not the manpower to enforce legislation and suggested people should shame others into compliance. I was in a zoom  meeting with Vicky Foxcroft, shadow disabilities minister in which I brought this up and the fact that exemptions were not being publicised, and, although perhaps not related, very soon afterwards the information about exemptions together with the cards was included on the government website.

    As has been stated simply saying 'I am exempt' should be sufficient if challenged.  Despite the prosecutions of a very few for not wearing a mask, I would suggest none of those has claimed exemption and most probably there have been other issues as well as failure to wearing a mask. And they have most probably all accepted an on the spot fine which is accepting guilt.  Your reasons are known only to you and God and it is nobody else's concern at all why you are exempt.  The only people who may be able to insist on corroborative evidence would be a court of law.

    Besides anything else, medical proof would be difficult to obtain given problems with appointments at the moment at doctors, and who would foot the bill?  I would also suggest that the off quoted figure of around 90% wearing a mask is probably what one would expect given the number of exemptions in all areas.  

  • in reply to Lotus

    I got my neighbour to print out the exemption signs from the Gov dot UK site and ordered a pair of Black Lanyards from Amazon.

    The masks are like the Internal Passports used during the Soviet Union.

  • You are not required to explain why you can't wear a mask, or carry any proof of any condition - it states that clearly on the government website (GOV.UK). If people treat someone like that they are being abusive and breaking laws regarding disability - we should not be denied access to a shop because we are unable to wear a face covering.

    The Government website does have an exemption badge/card that you can download into a phone or print off and attach to a lanyard. I have one which I wear in a badge holder on a plain lanyard and have had no problems. The guy working in the post office asked me and my partner if we had a mask when we went in this morning, but before we could reply he saw our badges and said that was fine.

    It's a difficult situation, but if someone challenged me I would advise them to look on the government website for information about why some people are exempt. If that didn't stop them, I would speak to a member of staff and explain that I am being forced to leave their store due to anti disability abuse and walk out and go elsewhere to do my shopping.

    I really think there should be signs in shops telling people that some are exempt. The Government are not getting this message out enough.

  • I'm shocked to hear you've suffered such physical and verbal abuse, Tanuki.  It's not your brain that's "stupid" but those of the idiots attacking you.  Have you tried simply ignoring these "random strangers" or, without responding directly to them, reporting their behaviour to the shop staff?  My understanding is that only shop staff and the police are entitled to demand an explanation of why someone isn't wearing a face covering. 

    My approach is to print out the words  "MASK EXEMPTION.  PROOF ON REQUEST" about a dozen times on a sheet of A4 sticky label paper, cut them out and fix one of these white labels on my shirt or coat around the shoulder blade area (likely to be noticed by anyone staring at my maskless face).  This conveys a clearer message than sunflower lanyards, which probably mean nothing to most other shoppers. 

    I also carry my autism diagnosis letter and a print-out of the gov.uk list of exemptions (on which I've highlighted "autism").  However, I'd only show these to people who clearly have the authority to question me.  The first time I went in a shop maskless I took a Diazepam in advance, mainly to prevent a meltdown if I was abused.  But so far nobody at all has challenged me to the best of my knowledge.  Perhaps it helps that I'm hard-of-hearing and tend (even in normal times) to show a severe, aggressive expression during the unpleasant chore of shopping!