Hello readers
As a child living with an allergy, I face a lot of issues surrounding my safety, my interaction with others, and my food choices. It’s unavoidable, but it is something that I am completely used to. I don’t even mind it that much anymore, it has just become like a fact of life for me; however, I found a recent article in the Boston Globe very concerning.
It was about people pretending to have allergies in order to get “special privileges.”
It reminds me of the book Peanut that I reviewed a short while ago and how the main protagonist pretended to have a peanut allergy just so she could fit in at school. People pretend to have allergies at restaurants to cater to their food preferences.
If a person wants their burger made special, separate from the others, she just has to say she has allergies. If someone doesn’t like peppers in their salad, they can say they have an allergy to peppers and bam, no peppers in the salad.
It’s becoming more and more common now, as people are using this disability to gain special privileges, and it is not something that can be ignored.
An absolutely eye-opening article on the Boston Globe goes into great detail about this issue, as well as how the kitchen in a restaurant responds to allergy orders. If you want to read it, the link is right here.
I even read in an article on www.health.com “Jillian Michael’s: Weight Loss Tips That Work” by Amy Spencer where she quotes,
“Order without looking at the menu. Almost every restaurant has the basics—veggies, grains, and protein. If you go in knowing what you want, I guarantee you’ll be able to make a meal. If you’re too uncomfortable to ask for what you need, tell a white lie: Say you’re allergic. I know it’s controversial to suggest this, but women in particular can really have trouble standing up for their own needs. So if you want the broccoli soup puréed without cream, tell the waiter you’re lactose intolerant.”
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20670974,00.html#order-wisely-at-restaurants-0
Personally, this kind of stuff really bothers me. To think there are people out there that fake allergies for their own benefit, it almost makes me want to give them my allergy so that they don’t need to lie. I’d happily trade with them.
It makes things worse for people with allergies too. If a whole bunch of people claim to have allergies when they don’t, it makes the people who do have allergies seem less and less credible. It puts people with them in danger and that’s why it gets me so upset.
I would like to hear what you guys think too, so feel free to comment on my blog or Facebook to leave your opinion. I’m interested in everyone’s take on this issue, as it has seemed to have received more attention as of late.
That’s all for now folks. Until next time.
Gary
