Discriminated UK Crohn's sufferer garners worldwide support

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GoJohnnyGo

GoJohnnyGo

One Badass Dude
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I actually read about this woman last week, and almost posted it here. In retrospect, I should of.

Denying someone with IBD public washroom access is no different than denying an asthmatic the right to use an inhaler, or an epileptic the right to use the floor for their epileptic fit.

I give Carly Burns my full support.

Here's the original article
 
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I've dreaded that situation. And I've told my fiancee that the second I get refused, I will begin to pull down my pants right then and there and explain that it's their choice: they have a toilet that is meant for it, and they have a floor that isn't--they can then choose which one will receive the defecation since I don't have the physical ability to add a third option!

Good analogies, as you've said those before, Johnny.
 
According to the original article it wasn't a public toilet, it's a staff toilet.... But yeah I know they could have helped her anyway.

Shame that many people in the comments can't spell Crohn's even when they say they have it!
 
beth said:
According to the original article it wasn't a public toilet, it's a staff toilet.... But yeah I know they could have helped her anyway.

Shame that many people in the comments can't spell Crohn's even when they say they have it!
Click to expand...

Yeah, I read that part. There are some states here that are supposed to enforce (by law) the accessibility for a toilet in a merchant's premises whether it's staff or public. I was told by a resident while working that Minnesota is one, for example, though I don't know if it's true, since I didn't read a statute or anything.

What enrages me reading the comments were the ones who were saying that she should have been able to hold it, trivializing the severity of the disablement, and compared it to a pregnant lady-- COMPLETELY different--a reduced bladder capacity is NOT akin to "I have 5 seconds and I will crap myself unless I'm in your bathroom now!"...Ignorance.

The "Crohn's" misspelling always does that to me too, it's all over. Irritating.
 
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Naturally, I'm not very familiar with Tesco, but from what I understand it's a fairly ubiquitous, if not predominant chain in the UK. The picture of Carly Burns looks like she's standing outside a smaller outlet. Nonetheless, a corporate standardization of public facilities is in order.
 
Tesco is yeah, ummm, ubiquitous.... IIRC there are something like 18 Tesco stores just in Cambridge and close villages and they are always trying to open more - population about 110k, and get alcohol licences in inappropriate places like known trouble spots where the licencing authorities have said they will not be issuing any.... Yeah, Tesco are ubiquitous.

Companies like Tesco should always have facilities, it might make them think twice about having so many shops! - because they would need to have staff to check them/clean/etc.

However I think small shops shouldn't be required by law to have public facilities as it would make so many just simply not viable.
 
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Sounds like the Tesco manager needs some retraining or needs to be fired. The other staff seemed helpful, but the manager was the one to deny use of the "loo". Anyways, his store got some bad press and I am sure that does not make the corporate talking heads happy. Sorry that happened to you.
 
This brings back a memory I will never forget. It was about 15 years or more ago and was headed for the cottage, 3 hour drive and the last stretch of maybe 20 miles was a very small little town with a laundro-mat (Westguilford, ONT). I was about to crap my pants and the owner said no you cannot use the bathroom only if you are doing laundry!!!!!! OMG...so I went across the street to a local grocery store and they let me use the washroom, I barely made it. Well this stupid owner didnt realize how many people I knew, and by the end of the year, she went out of business... no computers at that time, so word of mouth.. her worst nightmare, and justice was served!!!!!
 
I hvae had to ask store employees for staff bathroom use many time and luckily have never been refused.
I like your ultimatum Benson!! I will definitely use that if the need arises!
 
I feel so horrible for her because that is one of my nightmares. Then to be thisclose to a bathroom and have it swept from under you.

The ignorance of some of those people (I went back to the first article) was maddening. If she COULD "just hold it," this would be a non-issue. I wish I could cast a spell for a day and make them all have her condition for a day or week. (Grrr, just watched "Wizards of Waverly" with my daughter and have spells on the mind!)
 
It's a grocery store, not a bank! How much trouble could someone possibly get in back there?? I worked at a grocery store for all 5 years of high school and we always let customers use our staff washroom and it was quite a trek from the store floor.
We never had a problem with people getting into things back there, people went, did their business and resumed their shopping. I don't know what I would do if someone wouldn't let me use the washroom... I think I would cry.
 
We need to carry this. IMO, it's just like a badge.

card.jpg
 
She did have a card though, and he just disregarded it! ARGH, the ignorance.

I once was suffering, in a sweat, breaking out in hives, etc., holding it waiting for a store or somewhere to go....I get in the door, and there's a sign "customers only" Thankfully there was an incredibly sweet lady working who said "go ahead my dear", and then even asked if i was ok when i came out.

Blah, stuff like that makes me just so angry, how can you deny someone a bathroom, ever?
 
BWS1982 said:
Yeah, I read that part. There are some states here that are supposed to enforce (by law) the accessibility for a toilet in a merchant's premises whether it's staff or public. I was told by a resident while working that Minnesota is one, for example, though I don't know if it's true, since I didn't read a statute or anything.

What enrages me reading the comments were the ones who were saying that she should have been able to hold it, trivializing the severity of the disablement, and compared it to a pregnant lady-- COMPLETELY different--a reduced bladder capacity is NOT akin to "I have 5 seconds and I will crap myself unless I'm in your bathroom now!"...Ignorance.

The "Crohn's" misspelling always does that to me too, it's all over. Irritating.
Click to expand...

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008687102_webrockstar29.html

This article talks about the law I think you're referring to. It mentions a few states it's already passed in as well. It amazes me that people can be so ignorant. I know they don't live with it and don't understand, but still. I could understand if it's a security issue to not elt someone use a restroom, but other businesses where it's really not going to cause an issue. *shakes head*

Didn't this same thing happen at a gas station in Oregon or somewhere that one of us posted a while ago?
 
The ignorance is everywhere... I was once sharing a car with a work colleague on the way back from a conference.. she refused to pull in at the services because she wanted to make goof time on the return journey...

Through my frankensteining and sweating I outlined the options to her...

a) we could stop for five minutes and everything would be fine...
b) we could carry on, I could crap on her seats, no one in the car would able to breathe for the rest of the journey, I would refuse to assist with the valet bill since she was given a choice.... and once I had recovered from the episode... I WAS going to deck her..

She made a sensible choice...

Just on Monday though, a woman SCREAMED at me for using a disabled toilet... she was nasty... I know I may not look disabled, but equally "in the moment" I dont always have time or inclination to explain that I have IBD and am about to poop my pants...

I definitely want a card that gives people a choice though.... "I can crap right here right now in the middle of your special offer display, or I can do it in the designated facility - your choice but make it quick will you?"
 
That is such a sad story. People do not get it...You know, on one hand...they don't get it because they are fortunte to not have gotten it or someone they love..on the other...Any way, I own a small business--I don't have "public" restrooms; but I would not deny a customer whos gotta go...No matter what...Its cruel. S
 
I had a incident like the article one happen to me back in 2005 - hubby and i went into our local supermarket, half way through the shop i get that feeling (we all know the one).
Hubby goes and explains to a member of staff - staff member looks at me horrified ' She can't use our loo - she needs to get out of here' she tells me to my face as if i wasn't even there!

So my fantastic hubby runs to the homeware isle and brings back a bucket and says to me' There you go hun (handing me the bucket and turning to the staff member)...... now let my wife use your loo or she uses the bucket, right here, right now... oh and i'm not paying for the bucket when she's used it!'

They let me use the staff loo and i received a shopping voucher and letter of appology from the manager.

Result!!!

I have a card now from the NACC, but i've never needed to use it ....yet.
 
Swift, you and your hubby are my new heroes! I intend to replicate your outstanding performance one day.... Truly inspirational!
 
Yeh Sharon, I've even been screamed at by people who don't look disabled themselves when I use my radar key...

Also got a right rollicking from the toilet attendant in Trafalgar Square once when I bypassed the huge queue to avail myself of the empty disabled facility with my radar key.. He tried to bar my way! I wasn't polite...
 

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