Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is kicking off in Melbourne on February 16, and some fans are dabbing glitter on their faces, throwing on their sparkliest outfit, gathering their handmade beaded bracelets and for some, putting on a sunflower lanyard.
While this particular item is not widely known across the population, the Sunflower Lanyard is incredibly important, helping those with hidden disabilities that are not immediately obvious.
According to hdnsunflower.com, 1 in 5 people have a disability, with 80% of those hidden and can include:
- autism
- mental health conditions (anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder etc)
- dementia
- Tourette syndrome
- visual impairments
- deaf or hard of hearing
What does the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower do?
Established in 2016, the initiative has since been adopted globally by major airports including Melbourne, Sydney and Gatwick Airport as well as RAC Arena in WA and the Hawthorn Football Club.
But, for those Swifties heading to the MCG, wearing the sunflower discreetly indicates to staff, health professionals and patrons who are aware of the initiative, that they may need additional support.
Supporting this practice is “part of the MCC’s commitment to improving accessibility and inclusion and making all MCG visitors feel welcome”, the official website said.
Unfortunately, at the time of publication (February 16, the day the MCG is preparing to welcome Tay Tay and her legion of fans) the supply of Sunflower lanyards has been exhausted; however, here’s hoping that by reading this, you can be on the lookout for anyone who may need assistance!
How you get a Sunflower before other events
There’s a wide range of Sunflowers you can buy including wristbands, pins and supporters lanyards.
You can visit the shop and find out more information here.
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