Lets Call him JLF, Not his real name

By Kendall Worth!

On April 16^th 2023 I had the opportunity to sit down and interview a welfare recipient who gave me permission to call him JLF --  Not his real Name!

 

He asked to meet early in the morning. He said that made him feel like he did before being on welfare - getting up and getting his day started early. JLF Started off our conversation by telling me “Kendall, if today was was a weekday instead of a Sunday I would be, at this point, leaving the Brunswick Street Breakfast program and getting on with my day.”

Q - Considering this is the weekend, if you were not meeting me at this time on Sunday Morning what would you be doing instead?

A – “Kendall, I would pretty much be sleeping in and moving forward with my socially isolated day at home." He says that day to life during the week is pretty much going from one soup kitchen to the next. "Then from Friday night supper at Hope Cottage to Monday morning at Brunswick Street breakfast, my time is pretty much socially isolated."

Q - How do holidays work for you? Do you have family you get to spend time with, or get any invites to go to friend’s places?

A – “Kendall, I am pretty much alone on holidays. I use to have family and friends to spend holidays and the occasional weekend with, but they want nothing to do with me anymore because of the stigma – their beliefs about my being on welfare. “

But there is more to his story!

First, Lets look at his financial situation on welfare:

He gets the Standard Household Rate of $950.00 plus $81.00 for 3 special diets and the $40.00 Telephone Allowance = $1071.00. Then he gets a Rent Supplement of $481.00 and one reason why he can be thankful for that rent Supplement is because he would likely be homeless today if he was not receiving this. So $1071.00 plus $481.00 = $1552.00. Then $1000.00 of that amount goes to rent = $552.00 then $100.00 of that amount goes to Power = $452.00. Then Of course the Telephone Allowance portent of his Allowance goes directly to his phone = $412.00 left. His Cell phone Bill is $47.99 a month so the other $7.99 a month is coming out of his personal allowance. $412.00 - $7.99 = $404.01 a month. Then the $81 for special Diet Allowance Goes directly on his Special Diet Needs. $404.01 - $81.00 = $323.01. Then a once month Cab Ride to get home from the Grocery Store after taking the bus to the Grocery Store Cost $25.00. $323.00 - $25.00 = 298.01.

The $298.01 that is left over may sound like a good chunk of money but considering the high cost of groceries and other essentials, JLF tells me there is next to nothing left after he gets his monthly supply of groceries and personal hygiene products.

He wanted to tell me HIS story when he read my previous stories about inappropriate body language.  He let me know, he wanted to give me the story of his life on welfare.

Now lets have a look at his mental health

 

From:  https://virtualspeech.com/blog/examples-positive-and-negative-body-language

 

JLF suffers from manic depression (also known as bipolar disorder) and has been know to have learning disabilities. ADHD was considered but ruled out. He had always known himself to suffer from depression and anxiety.

While JLF was telling me his story he explained that he has had several incidents related to judgments about “inappropriate body language”. Someone who I had previously interviewed on this topic recommended he should come to me about his story. JLF told me that at various times throughout his life on income assistance he has had people on the street approach him asking, in a judgmental manner, if he is OK,  and if he is on his meds. He has also experienced stigma from people who believe myths and stereotypes about him. He said “Kendall I want to reference this article here because I have had my share of friendships end due to (at least being accused of) overstepping boundaries in past friendships."  I can certainly relate. Some days complete strangers give him unasked for advice, on the street. He wishes that people would just mind their own business and leave him alone.

Then he shared with me how COVID lock-down did him a favour. He said that it is all about the fact that he lives his day to day life being judged by his body language. JLF pointed out, during our interview, that one major differences between people judging him for his Body Language, and welfare stigma believers, is that the stigma, welfare recipients experience, generally comes from people they have known for years. People who do things like judge us to our faces, and complain about our body language making them feel uncomfortable, are people we do not know from Adam. JLF felt that  the COVID Lock-downs and restrictions was a good break from that judgment. During that time people were not out in public much anyway. He said in his case,  COVID Lock-downs is the one time in his life when he did not feel judged in public.

Then he got into telling me about 2 specific incidents that threw him over the edge!

First – He told me about something that happened to him back in 2014 where he was visiting a library with a friend. While he was waiting for his friend to get off the computer, “an assistant manager approached me and asked me what my problem was. When I told the assistant manager I am waiting for my friend to get off the computer, he replied by saying “Oh you are here with someone” I said yes I am and it none of your business then I told him to leave me alone.” At that point the assistant manager told me that they had to speak to the person you are here with. He said, the Information/Customer Service Desk is getting complaints form people who not feeling comfortable with your behaviour. These complaints include fidgeting, inappropriately staring into space and at people, and behaving like you want to start a fight with someone. “

JLF said that “knowing the importance of remaining calm, cool, and collected is what kept me from not loosing my cool.” It turned out the Front Desk staff was already calling 911 on me while the Assistant manager was speaking to me. While the manager was speaking to my Friend, the police and the paramedics showed up. My friend stepping in was the only way the police and paramedics would agree to leave me alone. My Friend was not going to done her task for another 20 minutes or so. The Library Staff told me I had to stay in my friend’s sight for the reminder of my visit."

Second – Then he told me that there was another time, in 2018, he was walking through a park and got approached by police. They starting questioning him and made him show ID. Again with staying calm cool and collected, he tried to refuse to show ID and told Police “I should not be dealing with you right now because all I am doing is minding my own business and not causing trouble.” The the police office told him “We have been getting calls that you are up here roaming around, fidgeting and other behaviours that are making people feel uncomfortable.” Long Story Short, they used the Breathalyzer on me to confirm that I was not drinking.

Both of these incidents, went no where when he tried to make complaints.

“Kendall, the final thing I want to point out is what happened to myself and others who got spoken to about inappropriate Body Language is we get judged just like judging a book by it’s cover.” JLF then pointed out this article, and said to me “Yup this whole thing about people making these complaints, is an example of people not minding their own business just like that article talked about.”