John Davison BAFTA Tourette’s incident and competing rights

[slet]

It’s interesting how this is being discussed atm. I see Ash Sarkar has framed it as an example of competing rights between disabled people and victims of racism, forgetting about intersectionality. But there is a struggle from those on the extreme left to see how women’s rights are compromised by ceding to TRAs.

not expressing myself very well but thought it had some interesting parallels with the sex and gender debate.

It's a real shame that everyone there, including the actors who got upset, didn't hear the announcement at the start. It should have been properly clear to everyone involved and then the event could have just gone ahead with no problems. Anyone who couldn't cope with involuntary tics could have excused themselves. Maybe gone and sat in a separate room and listened to a sanitised feed that didn't upset them.

I assume none of the films being celebrated had any difficult or upsetting content. No murders, violence, sexual assaults or any such like depicted, as if words cause such upset presumably depictions of violence would be much worse.

If you actually read my first post, you’d see I provided suggestions:

• Proper briefing ahead of the ceremony; not the host saying a few words five minutes before it starts but every guest being given a briefing pack such as an intro video from John or a Tourette’s charity spokesman, reading materials on the subject or even a link to his movie or documentary to understand it better
• Live reaction planning; when it happened the host shouldn’t have given a generic ‘if you’ve been offended’ statement during the show but addressed it head on and apologised to MBJ and DL live on behalf of BAFTA/BBC
• Aftercare (yes even for millionaires 🙄); where was the person to meet MBJ and DL off stage immediately to check in, explain and apologise? Did anyone check in with JD after he left? Could someone have facilitated a meeting with MBJ, DL and JD (if the parties wanted that) or other correspondence so it could also be addressed privately between them?

DEI/crisis management isn’t my job but they know who’s being invited months in advance and the people organising the event should’ve planned way better to try and minimise a situation like this.

Watch the film and then think if it’s comparable

look at the actual impact this has had on his life

he hasn’t had the chances the other guys have had and he never will

he has spent his life saying sorry

If we’re saying John shouldn’t have had to sit in another room, why should others have to miss out on what was also their special night? MBJ and DL were presenting an award so they probably couldn’t have done that from another room.

The discussion of this issue over the past days have been important into raising a number of issues, Tourettes is not fully understood so it has raised awareness, it has also raised the issues of how there are conflict is how we deal with situations where different groups are concerned. I think the OP raises a very interesting point, I had been thinking myself about how this. I was orignially of the view that those at the awards were aware of the issue and therefore give en the film portrayed this maybe should have been aware of this (or made aware etc), however, having listened more to the debate and having thought about how this applies to other groups I have altered my views. I now think that the language used was so offensive and directed at individuals that if it is not possible to refrain from making these comments individuals should not attend, I agree that they might make those comments "in the street" but in this instance it was an event where it was likely to cause stress and there was a possibility of shouting out offensive comments.

How can you minimise it though? People wo hear what he said. How can he not say it? The guests were sitting ducks quite honestly. Only by saying he cannot be there do you remove risk. You cannot make a film about Tourettes, applaud it and then ban the person it’s about. Yes, the huge risk was there but no one could stop him shouting. No organiser could. If you want awareness, you get it in all its offensive loudness. The other option - don’t give a gong to the film. Every cause doesn’t need a film.

I honestly think all this is completely unnecessary and not the sort of thing the Baftas would ever provide for anything. It shouldn't need a whole load of song and dance preparation for one guy with Tourette's to go out for the evening. You hear an offensive word, you feel a moment of shock and revulsion, you realise it's the guy with Tourette's, you get over it.

WTAF? What a disgusting comment.

Everyone there knew. They’d all been warned.

And the only solution to this is to exclude people with Tourette’s in case they offend someone. Given that Richardson was there because a film that was about him and him life was up for best film award (and won), then he should have been the last person excluded.

instead, the people who thought that they might have hurt feelings because of his disability should have excluded themselves.

So you want people with certain disabilities to not take full part in life?
Its like we’ve not moved on from the thousands of years of oppression, cruelty and segregation that disabled people have faced.

So stay at home?

I have no idea why the BBC didn't bleep out anything offensive, given the 2 hour lag, but I don't understand why people in the audience couldn't be expected to understand the nature of his condition.

He's been given an MBE for his campaigning. He met the Queen. We don't have to make this competitive suffering but even so, not sure this holds up. The "millionaires", meanwhile, find out that riches, fame and acclaim can't stop you being the subject of (involuntary) racial slurs. It's not as chalk and cheese as all that.

What a stupid response; inadequate planning and not attempting to mitigate a situation like this is what’s led to days of global debates around race and disability.

And you don’t get to tell black people, whose lives and experiences you have no clue about, how they get to feel about this.

@BuffetTheDietSlayer It is a balance though isn’t it. I have heard the most upset person is the guy who shouted the word. Sometimes self preservation needs to be considered. This was likely to happen so what did he want? To be upset? Not sure that’s a great outcome for him?

Richardson?

'Everyone knew' - there are varying accounts of this. Plus Warner Bros immediately raised it as an issue but the BBC broadcast team, one of the most skilled and experienced there is, didn't hear it clearly? OK.

I now think that the language used was so offensive and directed at individuals

The nature of his condition is that his tics are very offensive and directed at individuals.

If the Queen could tolerate him shouting 'fuck the Queen' when she was awarding him an MBE, why can't other people, at an awards ceremony featuring a film about his life, be expected to show understanding?

I think where the language used is so offensive that those who use it should avoid some situations. I think given the reason for attending this ceremony I believe that maybe arrangements could have been made or separate rooms perhaps but I do that there are some cases where someone with Tourette’s which may result is such offensive language should not attend certain events. Not everyone can do everything, if you are blind you can’t drive - fact so there are cases where disability does exclude people and I think this should be another case

Maybe everyone who thought they might be offended could have excluded themselves?

So in what kind of situation do you think his presence can be tolerated?

@attichoarder What other events/places should a person with Tourettes not attend? Funerals, weddings, school plays, the supermarket, a hospital? Are there any other restrictions you think should be imposed on them?

@nicepotoftea So Black people should have excluded themselves? How would that be acceptable? That’s segregation isn’t it and no one would agree to that. Maybe I’m moving towards no “cause” films. It’s all a bit virtue signalling.

A few words were said minutes before the ceremony began; they might’ve thought they’d hear a few swear words but without a proper briefing, if someone shouts the N word at you while you’re on stage presenting an award, I think you would still be totally shocked.

MBJ and DL had as much right to be there as John as their film had 13 nominations and they were presenting.

Well it’s not just black people is it. Tourette’s sufferers don’t know how their tics will manifest. Could be directed at anyone, as the previous documentaries show. Ginger, white, fat, thin. It’s the tics not them.

Sorry, Davidson.

Bafta sent a message to all attendees warning them. Everyone who could potentially been offended could have chosen to self exclude. Which basically means anyone who could be potentially slurred.

or they could all act like grown ups.