Sunflowers, So What? :How The University Has Failed People With Hidden Disabilities

Mel Kennedy

‘We understand that for various reasons some people are exempt from wearing a face covering and if that is the case, you should have ordered and be wearing a visor or the relevant exemption lanyard. You can find out more about how to do this on the Student Support site. Unfortunately, we have come across some students who have purchased an exemption lanyard when they are not exempt. As a result, you may be questioned about why you are not wearing a face covering and we will be checking details against our records. It is very unfortunate that we must do this, but it is vital that we all follow the Government guidance to help reduce the spread of the virus.’ – UCLan Student Communications via email, 21st January 2021

I do not speak for the entirety of students with disabilities at UCLan but I speak for myself and those I know who are furious about the recent announcement regarding non-exempt students buying sunflower lanyards and claiming to have an exemption, which is now leading the university to check the ‘exemption register’ they set up against a student’s name, despite government guidance suggesting that a person should not be stopped and questioned.

Why are we annoyed?

Sunflower lanyards already have a purpose- they are not for mask exemptions! They are not ‘exemption lanyards’!

The founders of the sunflower lanyard, Hidden Disabilities, state the following: ‘Wearing the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower discreetly indicates to people around the wearer including staff, colleagues and health professionals that they need additional support, help or a little more time.’ Unfortunately, due to the lanyard being misused during the pandemic, the company has had to realise a statement on its social media accounts reiterating the purpose of the lanyard and speaking out against those who have abused it to claim a fraudulent mask exemption which belittles its purpose of being an important resource for many people with hidden disabilities.

For those less in the know, sunflower lanyards were created as part of an initiative in 2016 to allow people with hidden disabilities to be recognised and receive assistance if needed in airports after Gatwick Airport asked how they could better support people with disabilities. Between 2016 to 2018, all UK airports joined the scheme and by 2019, many supermarkets and venues had followed suit. This has been invaluable for those who need assistance and now students are concerned that by using the sunflower lanyard for the purpose of mask exemptions, the lanyard will no longer be an effective tool once the pandemic passes.

When blended learning was announced, students with disabilities expressed concerns that the university would provide sunflower lanyards which are not meant to show mask exemptions. The university assured us in meetings through our representatives that they would not be sunflower lanyards, and yet in early November the university was providing sunflower lanyards for mask exemptions.

We instantly spotted the issue, we were ignored.

Just as it took several comments from disabled students to make the university realise in early September that a poorly worded announcement offering clear face masks to D/deaf and Hard of Hearing (HoH) students who rely on lipreading wasn’t fit for purpose, it appears as if once again students with disabilities will need to fight for a better system, not only for current students, but for the students with disabilities who will be arriving in September and beyond. This pandemic will not be going away any time soon, and the university needs to adapt with us to ensure that we are all receiving an equal education.

It’s easy enough to go onto online retailers and purchase a sunflower lanyard. As the government’s own exemption card is merely a downloadable PDF, anyone can print them off. Had the university listened to concerns, they would not be having the issue with students claiming an exemption when they have none. Would it have been so hard to create a special ‘UCLan exemption lanyard’ which would only be given out to those who successfully registered on the ‘exemption register’ when they came to collect it? Considering how much money UCLan has spent on rebranding recently, I was surprised that they hadn’t thought of this first to get more from advertising their new logo. The university has, after all, created new branding lanyards for staff and students.

This pandemic has shown the flaws in communication between the university and students with disabilities. There appears to be a lack of confidence within UCLan’s disabled community about the university’s ability to provide support and listen to our voices when we offer concerns. If the university is willing to invest in new lanyards as proposed here and show support for the disabled community – we will be happier. We have a right to the same education as anyone else, the same support as anyone else, and right now I have to say, the university is making many disabled students feel like we are worth less.

We are here and we are angry.