Because look at what happened to my friend Alex Barker. He lives in Great Britain. Simply because of his physical condition, a pub decided he was drunk. But Alex has stood up for himself. You can see that here:
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A man with a facial palsy says he was refused service in a pub after staff mistook his symptoms for drunkenness.
Alex Barker, 43, from Coventry, has Moebius Syndrome, which means he cannot smile and slurs his speech.
He said he tried to explain his symptoms to the barwoman at the Cutty Sark pub in Falmouth, but she was unwilling to listen or apologise.
He said the experience made him upset, embarrassed and angry. The pub has refused to comment.
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And here:
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A disabled man was ordered to leave a Falmouth pub after a barmaid mistook his facial disfigurement for being drunk.
Holidaymaker Alex Barker, 43, had only drank one bottle of beer when he was booted out of the boozer on Saturday evening.
Staff at the Cutty Sark pub, in Falmouth, told the charity worker they could not serve him because he appeared to be "under the influence."
He suffers from Moebius Syndrome and facial palsy - meaning his face does not show expressions and his speech can appear slurred.
Mortified Alex was forced to leave the busy pub in front of shocked customers and went back to his hotel room feeling "humiliated".Today he urged people to be more aware of similar conditions to avoid the embarrassing incident from happening to anyone else.
Alex, from Coventry, said: "I went down to Falmouth at the weekend as I went to university there and thought it would be nice to revisit my old haunts.
"I went to one pub and had a beer no problem but when I went over the road to another a girl in her 20s behind the bar refused to serve me.
"She said I was too drunk and I had obviously had far too much. I couldn't believe it.
"I was just shocked into silence, I didn't know what to say - I only had one bottle of beer that was about 500ml.
"In 25 years I have never been refused a pint. I believe it was because I am disabled and my face didn't fit."
Humiliated Alex left the pub and went back to his hotel room but decided to return to the bar the next day to confront staff.
He added: "I made a hasty exit but that night I put something on Facebook and all my friends thought it was disgraceful.
"I went back the following day and asked them to explain themselves but at first the staff said the girl wasn't working and refused to talk to me.
"Eventually she appeared and I asked her to justify her actions.
"She said she didn't need to and had the right to refuse permission if someone if under the influence.
"She did say there may have been a misunderstanding but she was just doing her job.
"I understand mistakes are made but I didn't care for the attitude."
Alex volunteers part-time for Facial Palsy UK, a charity that supports people suffering with facial paralysis.
He added: "I just want to raise awareness of people who may not know about the condition.
"I also have mishapen hands but I live a happy, independent and fulfilling life.
"But it was quite embarrassing for me and could be for other people if they go through the same.
"It put a seed of doubt in my mind whether I should not go to places that I am fully entitled to go to.
"There's a nagging doubt but I don't want to change my life because of different attitudes.
"I just don't want it to happen to anyone else."
Dr James Partridge, chief executive of Changing Faces, a charity that supports people with conditions or injuries that affect their appearance, said the pub had to "face up to its responsibilities".
He added: "The pub's management and the wider hospitality and business community in Cornwall have a responsibility to make sure that everyone is made to feel welcome."
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And here, sad to say, is the no-apology apology from the woman who runs the pub:
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The landlady of a Falmouth Pub at the centre of a row over refusing service to a disabled man has issued an apology, but still stands by her decision.
Jess Stunell, the landlady of the Cutty Sark, said in a statement that she wished to apologise to Alex Barker, who has Moebius Syndrome and facial palsy, and claims he was refused a drink after a barmaid mistook his disability for signs of drunkenness.
Mr Barker told press earlier in the week that he had only had one beer before going to the pub, and he left after being refused service, but when he decided to go back the next day and confront staff they were unapologetic.
However, Ms Stunell has said that she thought he was drunk before even seeing his face as she saw him stumble on the way into the pub, and that was when she looked at the bar staff and told them not to serve him.
She said: "They said 'you've had enough' and he said 'ok' and left."
Ms Stunell, said she has CCTV footage of Mr Barker in the pub, and also claims to have seen several pictures on Facebook of him drinking during the day.
She said: "He came in the next day to complain and claimed it was because of how he looked, and she replied it was simply because he had had enough, at which point he became quite loud and aggressive and "stormed off."
In a statement of apology, she wrote: "The Cutty Sark would like to apologise for any undue distress caused to Mr Barker on his visit.
"Alex stumbled on his way into the pub, after having a meal and alcohol at another establishment, and the decision was made to refuse service.
"There were a number of customers in the bar that day and an evaluation needed to be made considering the safety of both Alex and the other patrons.
"Staff have to make an instant decision over service, to ensure the safety of all customers based on their perception of the potential risk.
"The Cutty Sark has numerous customers with additional requirements and we aim to assist our customers in the best way we can.
"This was not out of any discrimination, but out of a genuine concern for the safety and welfare of all our customers.
"We operate a zero tolerance policy against discrimination of any kind and will continue to do so."
Since the story of the ban on Mr Barker went national, friends of Ms Stunnel say that she has received hate mail and been targetted on social media.
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She should not be receiving any hate mail.
But this "apology" is rather shameful.
Still--kudos to Alex and to Changing Faces for standing up and speaking out on this. Discrimination must not be tolerated.
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