people that are not excempt and don't want to wear a mask should do it standing on their own two feet...not on the backs of the disabled.

Omg I was unaware that non disabled people were abusing our sunflower lanyards i have had mine about 2 years I wear it whoever i go out.i think you should only be able to get one via your gp surgery

Things like this really suck. It's also disappointing to see the Hidden Disabilities organisation get so defensive about this - they didn't really say how they're going to solve the issue (i.e. try a new lanyard design etc.), just repeated that they don't want anyone to misuse it.

Ok - I have now watched the video and here is my agreement take In my local supermarket where up until March 20 this year I have always had extra support due to wearing the sunflower lanyard - the staff were always extra helpful Gradually over time since march the level of support has dropped. I assumed it was due to staff shortages However twice in last few weeks i have asked staff for assistance as i always have, and have been told " Why should we give you that help just because you can't wear a mask, you can still shop can't you" So yes I agree the meaning has been waters down and now at risk of being lost all together - this is my real life view based on personal experience - I hope that it will return to how it was - but time will tell I guess Thank you for coming to my Ted talk lol

Hahah love the Aldi shout out 😂- it’s like a game trying to pack your bag there

My ASD/ADHD/Exemption was challenged by the bus driver a few weeks ago, I wasn't wearing a mask but I had the Mask Exemption card on my lanyard. Yeah, that was an interesting one. Couldn't use my canned phrase of 'Youth Single to [location] please.' for that.

Really sucks, i had mine before this whole Covid thing and no one knew what it was. Even in the shops it was suppose to be recognized in. It was really an awkward time but after my support (and sometimes me when i was able) explained what it was raising awareness slowly over time the shops local started to recognize it. Going out started to get more easy. Putting it on got more easy even... Then comes Covid... At first it was amazing so much awareness was happening i thought this is brilliant others have one on also i did not feel so odd being the only one anymore. and then it sunk in.. allot of these people just had one on to avoid a mask (i never judge a person, its from over hearing and seeing people openly admit to having no disability just not wanting a mask on)..... Now when i go out i get funny looks from not only not having a mask but for having the Lanyard on i worked so hard to try promote before covid :(. The start of this whole mask thing was horrid the Lanyard really did help with it at first, i remember people even stepping in to shut people up who were "tutting" away moaning i had no mask on because they could see the Lanyard. Was a good time and felt amazing to have that support around me from strangers at a time i was most scared, feeling different and vulnerable. This does not happen now. Instead i hear things such as "why don't they have a mask on, they look alright. Looks like he has one of those flower things on to avoid it." I feel like im unwanted every place i go and like i am looked at as if i am skum. I have had people literally yelling at me to get out of the shop and that i should put a "visor" on if i have issues... I try explain that might be fine for a physical problem and reasonable but not something such as SPD, Autism, Dementia etc etc. They see the Lanyard now like they see no mask "oh here comes another one..." I would back a government scheme for means tested cards but as with other means tested stuff i know they will balls it up good and proper and it will be another thing that causes stress you worry about applying for and renewing. The other thing would be they would make it mandatory and without being able to produce the card you would get zero help. Example being on a train with no mask and no government means tested card = no entry, a fine, the police called on you etc etc. It would start to feel like that little yellow cloth star used in the war if you know what i mean... Not good. Apologies for the rant. This whole thing is so frustrating a good thing like this totally trashed by idiots! I use the world masks here allot in the rant, i am aware as most are who use these legitimately that they are not for mask exemption (well not just for i should say). I got mine yonks ago so i could be allowed some extra time, maybe another till opened, or if i went into a meltdown be given some distance, staff might offer me a quiet place to calm down, handy info written on the back i could show if none verbal that kind of thing. Just happens i also don't use a mask due to the issues i have. If i could put a mask on all the time i would (would make life so much more easy I'd love to be able to have not so many eyes on me it would be amazing) but I'd still have had the Lanyard on with it because its sole reason is not to exempt from masks but all the other stuff! Grr makes me so mad.

I used one for planes and airports but now it’s all gone 🥺

At the height of the pandemic, I personally had to stop wearing my sunflower lanyard because people starting to self police them and became extremely hostile to people wearing them. I have Autism but because i don't look like a typical non verbal autistic i was accused of abusing the lanyard. After the third time of someone pulling it from my neck, thankfully my lanyard had a breakaway on it, i stopped wearing it. I also experienced people making fun and following me around the supermarket make verbal abusive comments for wearing one. Even though i can on occasion can tolerate wearing a masks for short period and i do try to keep it on as long as i can it soon start becoming uncomfortable to the point of sensory overload hits.

I’ve never worn one and this is one of the reasons why, I personally think it seemed a bit too good to be true that everyone was being educated about them in the first place

Great video! Thank you. The devaluing of the sunflower lanyard hurts those of us who need them to move more easily through this world.

Very interesting video. We don’t have anything like this in America! Of note: for the past three weeks I have been walking around with a cane, due to an achilles tendon injury. People have been SO kind and helpful. When I embarrassingly took a tumble in the parking lot of a public park, people rushed to help. (The tumble was actually due to my glasses fogging up because of my mask, and my accidentally stepping on a rock which I did not see.. which has led to a further injury on my leg 🤕) Anyway, compare that to my “hidden” disabilities of anxiety. and a few others, and things are quite different

Thank you for this informative video. I’m a wheelchair user, mask wearer and a sunflower lanyard wearer. Might just blow the mind of some people who work in shops! I have hidden disabilities that’s the reason but now understand how it can be misunderstood. I’ll be happy to educate people if questioned.

Hi Connor can they change color for the sunflower for hidden disability or have a different flower for the mask thing instead of being same flower

A very well done video! You were kind, stated facts and stats, and were empathetic. 🥰

Not gonna lie, watching lanyards burn on IG the other day was kinda funny. It sucks that people abused the concept because of not wanting to wear a mask. I could have really used one a couple of years ago when I visited my aunt and uncle on England (shortly before they moved to Austria too) and it was my first time flying by myself. I had sooo much anxiety at the airport and I felt like I could really use some support. We don't use anything like these here. Last year I bought a couple of pins that say stuff like "I have an invisible disability/I startle easily/I am autistic" which I would put on my backpack if I were to travel now. Also I wear a mask all the time, because the ones I made myself and some store bought ones are comfortable to me. Single use ones are scratchy and uncomfortable.

Really good talk Connor I agree with you!

Can Honestly say I have never worn one bit always thought they was a great idea until the pandemic where I agree with you Connor

Someone tried to punch me for not wearing a mask

I wish I had a lanyard when my undiagnosed but in the process was masking and stressed and being overloaded as I was on a fight which had a 12 hour delay while I had to deal with my ,you do well at school you have no mental issues, Gran. Dang it NHS please get more resources my mam had been trying to get me diagnosed since 5 and I was in that situation at 13! Grrrrrrr

I have notice this my self, it needs some kind regeneration., I have Autism, I have one, but not used it yet my self.

I have a hidden physical disability as well as autism, and the autism assessmet centre gave me a lanyard to help me in public (as if that goes some way to make up for the fact that it's a 3 year wait for the final bit of my assessment and official diagnosis?! But that's a whole other rant!). I can wear a mask. I wore the lanyard for the first time the other day and didn't get offered any help because the member of staff in Boots chemist (who I've seen many times before the pandemic not wearing one) was wearing it as a mask exemption. Now I'm worried about using the lanyard at my hospital appointment this week. I was hoping the lanyard would be enough to explain why I need my partner to come with me (which isn't generally allowed because of covid), but I guess that isn't going to work now. My partner is also autistic so people constantly stopping us and questioning us is really not what we need in an already stressful situation! I wonder if making a card for the lanyard that states my disabilities might help? But it kind of defeats the object and I don't think I should have to broadcast my private medical info to strangers in order to get the support I need.

im autistic and didnt know what the lanyard was originally for, I got mine for mask exemption because having a mask on my face all day really overstimulated me and made me distressed. is this a valid reason because I'm willing to try and put up with wearing masks for the protection of others :)

I still have my sunflower lanyard but I only wear it if I'm having a particularly stressful time and have to remove my mask due to sensory overload, meltdowns and panic attacks (luckily I've not had to do that yet). But yeah anywhere I'm wearing a mask I won't wear the lanyard, I'll keep it in my bag for emergencies still when I'm more anxious and showing "symptoms" or a lot more "non neurotypical" behaviors or the things I mentioned before. Us disabled people now need to work harder to get help because the Sunflower scheme has been abused

I’m really confused now tbh. I have a sunflower lanyard but never used it. Radar keys are very easy to get hold of. I will leave it here but it’s worth looking into further.

this is really freaking me out, i have to go in a plane alone and need to wear one to make sure I can get help throughout the journey

I have a visual impairment and use one - is that ok?

Do you have a shorter Video I can share? I love what you're saying and I watched the whole thing but realistically if I shared this, on social media, people aren't going to watch a 23 minute video.

I went to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park. I booked my tickets online, disabled and a carer. They asked for proof of disability. I'm not sure on the legality of that, but I complied. I said "what about the lanyards" as I was pulling my disabilty card out. The lady said "they're nothing to do with disabilty, they're for mask exemption". This happend 3 days ago and I'm livid! So obvious that's what they've been told but lord knows how many people. 🙃 And yes, I was inside with both mask on my face and lanyard around my neck. Ruined entire year! I didn't get one till I saw what was happaning to the meaning of them + we had a holiday booked, and like you said... I'm bricking it. 😂 😂 ✈ I've tried making a point and telling people when the chance has been giving. But can confirm the amount of people that have asked me why I'm wearing a mask while I have a lanyard is insane! 😢

I never knew about the lanyard till the pandemic. Mainly BC I saw people posting about it on tiktok. I have ADHD, bad anxiety and atm I'm having issues with my digestive system and bladder too. I thought this lanyard was great, I was like finally people might get why I'm a bit slow at a checkout, or when I'm spacey I'm not being rude, or if. I have to suddenly dash to the toilet, it's again not me being rude. I even had someone come up to me once and say "you know that means you don't have to wear a mask" I don't particularly like wearing masks. They highten my anxiety a bit, but for me I can and the fact the lanyards been so muddied that people now see it and go "Oh mask exemption" instead of "oh this person has a hidden disability" is kinds annoying.

Hi there, thank you very informative video. Hoping you see this notification as it would be great to ask a quick question. I have ordered one of these today because of my PTSD, I thought it could help sometimes in shops when I feel overwhelmed and hope the people working could notice and give me extra time ect. In your experience is this still the type of thing that they would do? Like you say, I don't want to take attention away from someone who needs it, so I would only wear it on bad days, but only if they are still recognised to give people an extra bit of breathing room when interacting.. Thanks if are able to answer :)

I think to get one it should have to be through your doctor. Its too easy to buy them when you don't need it. Which is exacerbating a lot of the issues you're talking about.

This would've been nice to have at my first and last concert. I was so excited at first and I did enjoy it, but the crowds caused me a bit of anxiety. The worst part is it wasn't the worst crowd for a concert, but I don't do as well around that kind of noise and amount of people. I was a little better when we all started singing with the artist, but before and after the concert, I was clinging to my best friend for dear life. If I knew about the sunflower lanyard at the time, that would've been so great to use at that time. Maybe I could've gotten more directions or a place further away from the crazy crowds. I'm not cluster phobic, I'm more like people phobic. I have major trust issues and have very negative views on humanity, so too many of an untrustworthy creature all at once feels like being surrounded by poisonous and wild rattle snakes (oddly, I actually like snakes, but even I wouldn't want to be surrounded by poisonous ones). It's scary for me.

I feel really worried about wearing mine. I've got severe ADHD, anxiety and depression. I use it for ADHD mostly and anxiety. I'm 17 and in college and I feel really really worried to wear it as Ive seen other people get verbally abused for wearing it (KZfaq) and I'm also worried as I don't want people to think I'm doing it to be mask exempt as I do wear a mask that's not why I have the lanyard. I just feel extremely worried incase people aren't nice to me for wearing it.

Hello I wear a mask in shops but socail communication can be really challenging and stressful, I can't get my hands on a sunflower lanyard at the moment. If I stim I get judged by other people which doesn't help when I get sensory overload. I hope the public one day can understand that people like me are not misbehaving when we have socail communication difficulties.

I'm greenaphobic i need a different colour

I'm autistic but have no problem wearing a face mask. I've found the tesco sunflower lanyard works very well. This one has tesco written on it which I think puts off the anti face mask lobby from using it for face mask exemption. I wear the lanyard as I go blind to things that I'm looking for and a staff member will take my list and find everything on it which is a god send. However I've never seen anyone else in the store wearing one.

I have just ordered one for myself for hidden physical disabilities and anxiety and for my daughter with Aspergers. We both wear masks. Hopefully after covid it can be reclaimed. But it will need a lot of work.

They should do a PowerPoint that they give to all the shops or you can get it from there website so they can show it to staff

I just brought my own pink lanyard and brought badges and a pink card saying I have hidden disabilities please be patient with me and made it my own ...I feel more comfortable wearing it and the sunflower one is being abused...I do worry that I won’t be taken seriously because it isn’t sunflower though

GOSH the number of people who say 'but I thought you weren't exempt' when I speak of my lanyard. It should not have been taken over. We also don't get the same support in shops because people just assume it's because of mask-wearing and disassociate with the point of needing assistance.

Thanks for educating me I did think it was a mask exemption thing as that's what I was told at work. But was alway respectful as I'm on spectrum myself but don't wear one.

I never knew about the sunflower lanyard when I brought my cat lanyard for my autism card, seems like it doesn't really matter anymore.

The colour is ugly too

They’re great, but there needs to be more information available for the public

What about being a target... Some people Fear us Just because we are different... And I do like the idea of the Lanyard, Wish it was out around 60 years ago.

I can totally understand your anger. Not sure what the solution is..

if this becomes a thing too in the philippines, people will judge us more because more non disabled people will get these and make people think theyre disabled in the philippines we have a government issued card for people with disabilities and even if we have this card and actually got them legally, people judge us because we’re not in wheelchairs.. it sucks.. we have good stuff here for pwds but people dont believe in our disabilities and tell us we’re just being dramatic or acting and shit on us now this, im gonna be travelling soon and i cant handle more judgement from people and stuff, it makes me not want to go out more, like guilty even tho i didnt do anything wrong i dont want to have the lanyard to get free stuff or have my mask off, i need it cause i get so overwhelmed and i know people think im weird and stuff and i want to have the mask on til i get to the house tbh even if we’re gonna eat, i want to have it on idk where im going with this, i just felt of getting it out of my system and it’s related to the sunflower lanyard thing thats going on im sorry

🙏💜🌍💜🙏

Why not a mask exempt lanyard for those? Separate from Hidden Dis. I live in Los Angeles, I have a Hidden dis. And it is hard to wear a mask...but I do...I never heard of these Sunflower 🌻 lanyards

I really want one but I live in Brazil and I'm pretty sure no one knows about them here xD

It's a bit heart-breaking hearing you describe how this whole situation has affected people. Wondering about how things are over there in relation to this now? I'm in Ireland and as far as I know most people still aren't aware of the sunflower lanyard at all. I've never seen someone wearing one. But then, I went out to shops very little during lockdown and everything - didn't a whole lot before or since either, due to various issues, but the mask thing really messed up my social confidence and sense of safety in public. Couldn't handle the stress of the judgement and possibility of confrontation for not wearing a mask. That was really traumatizing. I don't blame the people who used this out of desperation looking to feel safer going out in public. I blame the people who are so judgemental and nasty and refuse to allow for people who, for any reason, don't feel comfortable covering their face and airways, which is, frankly, a very unnatural thing to do and which generally isn't healthy. Back to your main topic... I wonder if the company who created and sell the lanyard might put an ad on TV to make it more public knowledge what they are really for (maybe they've done this by now, I don't know). I remember years ago there were ads put on TV here teaching people the proper way to use roundabouts cause people often didn't use them correctly - it definitely changed things - i noticed it became a much more rare thing for people to use them incorrectly afterwards.

Hello mate

It deeply saddens me that it was used and abused the disability community deserves better and I hope it doesn’t happen in Australia because if it did it would break my heart and hurt me and my friends and what sadder is that one of my friends has to wear a lanyard that says I am diagnosed with disability and mental health so that Nothing bad happens to them when they are out and they are also mask exempt and got heaps of bad things said to them because of the mask exemption for their disability and I hope that everyone is doing well and that this never happens again because the disability community deserves better and not just able bodied humans without disability using and abusing it for their own sake and not caring about the disability community.

Wouldn’t it be cool if there were a new one with dinosaurs on it and that you could only get it from a doctor and it will finally be a worldwide thing, so everyone knows about it.

I use a sunflower lanyard as I have ADHD and Anxiety I have had masks physically pulled of my face bc “I don’t need a mask” but that’s not why I were the lanyard

The amount of dirty look people give me now when I'm out I became aware of these cuz of someone I follow and I have adhd and anxiety especially in social situations so I got one of these then when the pandemic hit I was unable to wear a face covering so I got one of the mask exempt cards hiddin disability had on there website but the amount of dirty looks and judging looks I get now makes me feel like I can't even go out

Tbh, I think they need some form of proof of the invisible disability to get them. Else it never will be taken seriously & just be overused. Also I agree with you with the lack of knowledge. ... I asked for one in a very big chain store & the lady even looked at my confused & asked what it was. And then to kick me in the gut further, the one lady who did know what it was, stood for atleast 10 seconds staring at me like "do you need one?" ... infact that is exactly what she ended up asking, even though I had already told her. I felt like she wanted so desperately to ask why do you need one. I have a condition that means I am prone to fainting, but I'm young & look normal. ..they really need to educate people more, about disabilities coming in all shapes & sizes.

i almost never have sensory issues with masks but when i do, i can focus on anything else, but thankfully at my school it’s no longer required so i can just take it off but i wish that people atleast knew that it’s not just a free pass for no masks

It’s kind of made the organisation redundant because it’s not their fault, it’s the Ignorant public misusing them

You might as well burn that thing, a fat lot of good they are. I've been to one well known chain store here in England recently where they had a poster at the entrance advertising how they were taking part in the green lanyard scheme, and I was clearly wearing mine, right down my front where they couldn't possibly miss it, and on their poster it said something like "if you need any help, just ask" but when I did they just didn't want to know, and they just kept avoiding the whole subject and wouldn't even answer me and just treated me with OUTRAGEOUS CONTEMPT! Well just who the H-LL do they think they ARE?! That's the all too typical attitude to hidden disabilities here in England, nothing but total contempt and condescension, their whole collective attitude STINKS, and that's not just stores, but also public transport operators, councils, the media, mp's and even disability campaign groups! Well SHAME on the whole lot of them!

You need to educate people

I agree, its crushing, to Autistics.

I agree with you people should not abuse them and only use them for hidden disabilities but as I said on twitter pretending to burn it doesn't help. It makes you look bad. I do understand why you did it though don't worry and you did work hard to do other ways. How can you prove your misusing it though you can't. The companies response is good I think .

Gonna be honest here (uh oh! An Autistic person being brutally honest? How shocking!) Not a fan of the burning lanyard footage. As an American who doesn't see the sunflower lanyard outside of well...my own usage. I will admit that the lanyard is a good way to let people know that we as people with hidden disabilities exist. However, with that said, this program is still very unfamiliar territory to many people and I think that's why it's important to make people aware of what it's actually used for and who it's supposed to help.

"Sunflower lanyard" the symbol is the "sunflower icon"... Your BERATING someone from getting it wrong while getting it wrong. Badge, Armband, T-Shirts, Hats, stickers it's all the sunflower symbol.

Will that green thing get what's really needed done? Like providing QUIET segregation on the stupid new trains, or buses, will it get stupid insane radio turned OFF in shops and other public places? Simple answer, NO! Well what good are they then?! Good question isn't it?

I can't wear a mask as they make me gag so I wear a face shield instead.

I got a sneaking suspicion that some people are going to use these lanyards to get special privileges on planes even though they don’t have a corresponding disorder. That’s just me being cynical. Edit: I think people are going to use these lanyards just to not wear a mask. Again that’s my cynical side rearing it’s head. Love the content already, this is coming from a kid who was diagnosed at 14 two years ago with ADHD and high functioning autism.

Pre-pandemic, I have never once seen a Sunflower Lanyard. Now I see many people wearing them every time I'm shopping, 90% of those people are just being lazy and don't want to wear a simple mask for 10 minutes when shopping. People suck, and the more this pandemic draws on, the more I become disappointed at the wider public.

The money spent on this scheme should have been put into educating staff and the general public on invisible disability and being kind and patient with EVERYONE. This scheme is able-bodied/neurotypical society saying "if you have an invisible disability you must make it visible if you want us to treat you with respect, it's too much to ask for us to work on our empathy skills, instead we'll let you do the hard work". It disadvantages disabled people who may not want to wear a lanyard, but still want and deserve to be treated with respect!!

No such thing as abusing the lanyard for mask exemption it's self id for mask id u dobt have to wear the mask card just lanyard