The contempt against the mask exempt
Recently I have seen more and more fury aimed at disabled folk about the issue of mask wearing and increasing claims of
‘if they’re that vulnerable, they shouldn’t go out at all’
‘they need special times for disabled people who can’t wear masks to go to the shop’
And even from within the disabled community itself
‘I have (insert medical condition here) and I wear a mask’
My least favourite is:
‘they should have a register of mask exempt people’.
It is important to note that I am a non disabled person. I can and therefore do wear a mask although, some days, due to asthma, that is less comfortable than others.
The history of how we as non disabled people have treated disabled people is horrific. The UK started the eugenics movement, adopted by the Nazi Party, and led to the forced sterilisation and in some cases the murder of disabled people around the world. Since then, we have continued to stigmatise and ghettoise disabled people.
In the UK, we do not have a ‘register of disabled people’. The endless cuts to disability ‘benefits’ and blue badges has meant that fewer and fewer people have ‘evidence of being disabled’.
One suggestion I have seen is that mask exempt people should get evidence from their GP.
1. GP’s don’t have a way of proving someone is mask exempt.
2. Nor should they. For starters, they have enough on their hands.
3. And then the question of stopping people who can’t wear masks for their exemption on buses and at supermarket doors for a ‘rape survivor exemption certificate’ or evidence of the nature of a disability or medical condition is clearly inappropriate. Why should Andrew from Wakefield know my medical or mental health status?
Disabled people are more likely to be isolated or lonely (Sense survey 2017) and while some support is available to disabled and vulnerable people at this time, support is often presented as a one size fits all. Not everyone has someone to do the big shop for them.
A good example of this is the suggestion ‘special times for disabled people to shop’. If that time is early in the morning disabled bus passes will not work, medication taken at a set time might not be working well enough for someone to get up and out, and those with children will be readying them for school or indeed educating at home. Whatever time you choose it will not work for all.
Four million disabled people in the UK live in poverty. (Joseph Rowntree Foundation 2020). This means booking a food delivery may be unnecessarily expensive, in some cases adding £4/5+. For some that is a large proportion of their weekly shop. That’s if you reach the minimum spend of roughly £40. If you don’t, you might need to pay an additional £4 or even not be able to order at all! Also, not going into a supermarket reduces your choices (and the opportunity for a yellow stickered bargain) and means that if you have food allergies, you might not get what you actually need.
The claims of ‘I have a specific medical condition and can manage a mask’ is increasingly infuriating and common. This is not a competition. Sometimes people have more than one condition that makes it harder to wear a mask. Sometimes there are emotional and psychological reasons. One autistic person might manage it and another won’t. The same people might be able to mange it on one day but cannot the next. The claims on social media that people are ‘using the exemption criteria as an excuse’ or ‘just not wearing one for the sake of it’ are unhelpful and further stigmatise disabled people.
Disabled people and those with medical conditions have overwhelmingly shielded this year. Day activities for people with learning disabilities have been cancelled. People with learning disabilities are six times more likely to die from covid. People are staying at home as much as they can, but some are essential workers. Some are parents. ‘Why can’t they just…’ puts generalises disabled people and their circumstances. We must trust disabled folk to manage the risks associated to staying at home and going about their business.
Instead of verbally battering people who for whatever reason are truly exempt, simply challenge those who choose not due to the ‘fake news’ and conspiracy theorists or just brazen disregard for others. They are selfish. A blue ticked twitter user who has become known to blatantly refuse to wear a mask has just bought himself a mask exemption and hailed himself across the platform as some sort of civil rights hero is the person to report and battle with. There will always be people who take advantage of loop holes but we mustn’t further alienate and stigmatise disabled people because of their selfishness.
Don’t waste time entering into pointless twitter battles with your potentially ableist two pennies. Scroll past the comments on Facebook and make a cup of tea. Don’t add to the stigma. Instead, do something positive. There are charities and organisation who combat isolation and loneliness for disabled people. Get in touch and see what you can do. Please don’t suggest people use their support network if you are not actively part of someone else’s and not just during the pandemic. In fact you probably already know someone. If you’re really concerned about the wellbeing of disabled people, find a way of being a supportive ally and friend and then you might hear a story or two about how life really has been this year. https://www.sense.org.uk/support-us/campaigns/loneliness/
Campaign for the vaccine to be swiftly available for disabled people who have shielded, even if it delays your own jab.
Oh, and also hold the government accountable.