Tourette’s/BAFTAs offensive language

[Lochroy]

I wasn’t watching, I’ve just read the article on BBC news. I will admit I know little of Tourette’s and therefore posting to understand.

The tics agree involuntary, and often use offensive language. But what I’m struggling to get my head around is excusing use of the N word because it was caused by the disability when it was (seemingly) only directed at black people?

Also presumably it’s learned vocab so children don’t have swear words as tics? How does this develop?

https://x.com/dcrowleyprod/status/2025888778779275645?s=20

He wasn’t personally ‘up for an award’
The film, crew and actors in it were up for awards. John was there because ironically, the film details his life and the work he has done to educate the population about Tourette’s so people have more understanding about the condition.
He also can’t “hold in” tics. It’s apparently similar to trying to hold in a sneeze - you can’t.

As far as I know, they both received an apology from John. That should be enough. I don’t know whether I think BAFTA or the BBC should issue an apology. As broadcasters I think they owe an explanation more than they owe an apology. Not sure, will have to think about it.

Oh, you mean when I said this?

There are no 'sides' in this so I don't know why it's so polarised all over the internet (except for the fact that it's the internet). It's possible to uphold the fact that it is an offensive term and the reasons for that, and also to recognise that he didn't not choose to do this and in fact left because he was struggling with his tics.

Is that what you mean? Read what the person you quote has actually fucking said.

Put yourself in those 2 poor men's places. You got invited to the oscars to present an award. You spend ages choosing the perfect dress, telling all your friends to watch it from home. You walk on to the stage and someone shouts FUCK OFF YOU FAT FUCING CNT. You would be heartbroken, devastated and mortified. To make it worse, rather than edit out the swearing, they broadcast it in full.

There’s a lovely part of the film where John is told by Dottie that he should never apologise for something that isn’t his fault. His ‘actions’ are his disability. Should he have to apologise for having a disability?
Watch the film and you might have a better understanding.

Where was the apology made clear? Link?

For me it's in the category of apologising for something you didn't intentionally do but which nevertheless hurt someone else. It's not 'having to apologise for his disability'

Trying to hold in a tic can make you tic more and worse.

Thanks for this x

I think it makes sense what you say about them following the same pathway, and from what you describe makes complete sense why they occur alongside each other.

Exactly. Apparently it’s okay

Put yourself in these two men's places. They gone to a awards ceremony got shed loads of exposure and publicity from this incident which they otherwise would not have got and have helped inadvertently to raise awareness about Tourettes at the same time. Win win.

Are you being serious? Do you not understand Tourette’s?

This!!

‘His actions’? My dad also has a disability, he has one leg. Should he apologise?

My partner has Tourette’s and he has a tendency to imitate accents, which as you can imagine sometimes can be highly inappropriate.

I’m not British myself and personally I don’t care (he’s constantly imitating what I just said), but he’s been embarrassed many times in his life. He now just tells people the truth if he says something weird or out of place.

Yesterday I must have heard “Mr Worlwide” with Pitbull’s accent 100x times lol.

For the poster who implied that because the two actors were wealthy and worldly then they would somehow be insulated from hurt

Wealth doesn’t erase history , success doesn’t erase identity
They are still black men and the N word carries centuries of dehumanisation and violence.
No amount of money cancels that history

I hope all this media attention means I Swear is shown more widely here and in the US. It is a wonderful film and John comes across as such a intelligent and kind human, I don't think anyone who has watched it could continue to think he has anything to apologise for.

The BBC and BAFTA should have worked with him to have a plan to manage the inevitable risks and decide what would / wouldn't be cut.

Maybe they did, maybe turning the spotlight on the film is worth the shitshow on social media?

I agree mostly.

I am pretty sure the two actors have compassion & understanding of what happened & can see it wasn’t said as racist abuse. Sadly something they probably endure a lot. I don’t think its helpful to say he was racially abusing them because he wasn’t he wasn’t in control of what was said but I do concede that in the moment it will have crossed their mind.

This is not to you personally just in general, Its sad as a society that we are having discussions about this, racist abuse has no place in society the same as attacking disabled people & thinking they should be locked away out of sight. Two things we thought were being stamped out 40 years ago but here we are

For anyone interested, here's a black woman who has similar tics, for eg using the p-word in a supermarket:

https://x.com/WokeOli/status/2025943142080323999

Trusted not to do or say what?!

Can you erase the shaming you are giving to someone with a medical condition that .akes people suicidal?

Honestly, I wish people could understand just how awful the condition is. It's really really horrendous thing to live with day in day out.

I can’t believe the ignorance of some people on here. People with Tourette’s see a person and automatically associates that person with things about them that they know they can’t say, and don’t believe, that jogs their mouth into actually saying the very thing that shouldn’t. It’s not a case of apologising to that person, they feel bad enough having INVOLUNTARILY said it.

I said that Lindo and Jordan are wealth, privileged, intelligent and worldly men so the assumption they’re offended is ridiculous. I didn’t say that they shouldn’t be offended over this.

But TBH, I do think that they shouldn’t be offended over this. It’s not racist abuse, it’s the uncontrolled symptom of a disabled man who literally can’t help it and has expressed his deep mortification.

It’s okay that John Davidson shouted this because he can’t help it. He doesn’t enjoy it, it plagues his life every day. He’s done nothing wrong, and has expressed his mortification

It isn’t okay that the BBC aired it though. Humiliating all involved. No need