A teenage girl with autism and several mental health problems claims she was targeted for not wearing a mask on the tram.
The mother of the 15-year-old said she was left furious by the incident, which happened on a service from Bury on Thursday morning (August 20).
The schoolgirl, who suffers with severe depression and social anxiety, had built up the courage to ride the tram into Manchester after struggling to leave her room all year.
Her mother, who wished to remain anonymous, said it took the teen “all her energy” to make the milestone.
But she wasn’t on the tram long after boarding at Besses o' th' Barn when she claimed she heard a couple talking about her.
She said they called her out on not using a mask, despite her clearly wearing a sunflower lanyard to indicate she had a hidden disability.
She claimed they were speaking “loudly and in a passive-aggressive tone”, before commenting on how she was “stupid” not to wear one.
In the UK, people who cannot use a mask due to mental illness are not required to wear one.
The teen was eventually forced to explain to the couple the reasoning behind her not wearing a face covering.
Her mother, 40, said her ‘heart was in her mouth’ when she realised what had happened – fearing the incident could have shattered her daughter’s confidence again.
“For the last year she has struggled so much with mental health, she’s been in a mental health unit,” she said.
“She can’t speak to strangers. She can’t even speak to some family members. She’s turning a little corner at the minute and trying new things.
“I have to do everything for her. The fact she got on a tram and went into Manchester is a massive thing for her.
“She heard a woman in her 60s or 70s look at her husband and say ‘Look at that girl, she’s not wearing a mask’.
“They said it was stupid. Every time she looked up, the woman looked at the window.
“It went on for a few minutes until she got closer to them and told them she wasn’t wearing a mask because she’s autistic.”
The teenager’s mother revealed she struggles to wear a mask as she feels as though she may have a panic attack due to restricted breathing.
She continued: “I just want my daughter better. Twenty minutes after leaving and I get that message; my heart was in my mouth.
“I was shaking because I didn’t know how it would affect her. Then it went into anger, because how dare they approach her.
“They don’t know how much she’s suffered and how much energy it took her to get on that tram.
“She could have been back in her room for two weeks – not leaving that dark room.
“You don’t know why someone may not be wearing a mask, you don’t know what someone is going through.”
