Hidden Disabilities Sunflower

(Image Description: A person is holding the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower card, featuring yellow sunflowers on a green background.)

Hidden Disabilities Sunflower

If you have been travelling through an airport this summer, you may have noticed a distinctive sign near airline check-ins or baggage claim displaying the "Hidden Disabilities" initiative. Naturally, you might have wondered to yourself: what is this project? In this blog, we will be unpacking the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower initiative and its mission of fostering awareness and inclusion.

According to their website, the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower is "a simple tool for you to voluntarily share that you have a disability or condition that may not be immediately apparent." Whereas some disabilities are visible to others, many experience a disability that is non-visible, including but not limited to: cognitive, neurological, auditory, sensory, and chronic health conditions. As a result, individuals in public may not be aware of one's disability and consequently avoid treating them with the same patience and understanding that others with visible disabilities may receive. 

The Hidden Disabilities initiative aims to tackle this social issue with its simple, bright sunflower lanyard and card. The company offers over 50 different personalized ID cards with various hidden disabilities that can be attached to the lanyard. Alternatively, one can purchase just the lanyard on the company's website to indicate they might need extra help or simply more time. Individuals without a hidden disability can also purchase a separate lanyard to show their allyship and support.

Recently, I travelled to Denmark to visit family there and we were greeted by this eye-catching sign at Copenhagen International Airport (see below). I had seen similar programs in airports in the U.S. and was delighted to see this mission spread internationally! Since the Hidden Disabilities program started in 2016, the business has spread to over 200 airports and countless other government agencies, railway networks, stores, and more.

(Image Description: A promotional sign for the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower initiative stating "Not every disability is visible. Some are hidden.")

After inquiring about this poster, we were even offered to take a sunflower lanyard, which the airport supplied for free to individuals as part of their partnership. My younger brother Sammy has a hidden disability, specifically autism, and this tool has made a huge difference in his life. Sometimes when a stressful situation arises in the airport or restaurants, Sammy needs some extra time and space for him to decompress and regain his energy. The sunflower lanyard is the perfect way to notify others that he may need this additional support in public.

If you come across this incredible initiative in the future, whether you are waiting in line in the airport or shopping at your favorite store, I would encourage you to check it out for yourself! This tool can be a fantastic resource for those with hidden disabilities, so see if this lanyard could help you or someone you know.

Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Website

In friendship,

Nathan Moldavsky

YLC Member, Wisconsin