Tourette Syndrome at the Bafta Awards

I think he definitely should be there. I haven’t seen the film but I have watched a few clips on YouTube and they are heartbreaking.

I can’t really believe people think he would do this with any intention. Like Cinnabar_wing mentioned they say the thing that is socially explosive not believed.

I wonder how he feels about himself now, probably pretty horrified that he said those things.

He is so brave to put himself out there to say I have a right to be here with every other human being. He is leading the way in hopefully more understanding about Tourette’s which can only be a good thing for all the people out there hiding away because of it.

I think it's very difficult, the word used was offensive, but someone with Tourettes really can't help it, I think this sort of thing is going to become more and more apparent as people gain more protected charactaristics and people who would previously be hidden become more visable.

Maybe everyone needs to take a breath and step back a bit and most of all think!

B said:

I can't decide what I think about the responses.

I’m thinking much the same way as you B.

Exclusion? No, because it would be unfair to discriminate because of a disability and it would set a dangerous precedent.

Should people be protected from hearing offensive/racial slurs, especially when they refer to certain groups of people based on skin colour/race/religion? Yes, but I can’t decide as to the extent and form this could take.

profdanger said:

If he has a history of using that word, I totally get excluding him from the live audience. But at the same time, would that be discrimination?

I know that people with coprolalia can get very distressed about their use of offensive words.  I didn’t watch the BAFTAs but perhaps if this were to be repeated, the organisers and the person with Tourette’s could plan ahead to minimise likely eventualities.

Most people with Tourette’s recognise trigger situations that can lead to tics so perhaps Davidson could have anticipated that this would happen, even though it was an involuntary action. I don’t know if there would have been a way for him to be present at the awards without people hearing his offensive words, 

I can’t see how this matter can be resolved in a manner that would be satisfactory to all parties affected. AGhhh!

https://www.tourettes-action.org.uk/storage/downloads/1752072351_Factsheet---Coprophenomena--v1.pdf

Cinnabar_wing said:

(I'm sorry I can't read guardian articles, they have blockers on them)

I have uploaded screenshots.

I haven't seen it yet, but the film I-swear is about John Davidson's life. I don't think you use words as tics, I thought the whole thing was that it's almost the words you know are wrong are the words that can be manifested (please forgive my ignorance if I got this wrong, but saying he uses the word feels like a willing choice, so it's important distinction?). 

Can you celebrate the film and the actor and yet the person who it is about is excluded? Then it's just a money exercise using him but not helping his cause? I want to see the film, it's actually local to me, and will help in understanding situations like this?? I think having a periodic disclaimer by the hosts would help remind people that it's a condition he can't help?

(I'm sorry I can't read guardian articles, they have blockers on them)

I mean, he was there because he was the basis of a film about him and his work on widening awareness about Tourettes and improving the lives of people with Tourettes

Oh wow, yeah this is a difficult one.

If he has a history of using that word, I totally get excluding him from the live audience. But at the same time, would that be discrimination?

I imagine if he is known for that tic they (and he) wanted him to be in the audience just so that Tourettes could be a major talking point like this. That feels wrong to me. And yet I can’t shake this feeling like making him not be in the audience would be discriminatory. Agh, this is tricky.