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.

I can understand them being bewildered if they weren’t warned, but surely once the situation was made clear, they’re big enough and old enough to get over it?

I was genuinely waiting for a gracious comment from them along the lines of understanding that John had a disability and letting this be an awareness-raising moment.

They weren't 'called it'. They heard a person with tourettes, exhibiting tourettes.

They need to get over themselves.

So if it doesn't bother you it shouldn't bother anyone?

Impact matters

Well, I just winced again.

I'm not sure it's really a white person's place to be laughing about how two black people were called n--rs on international television. Or using rap/hip hop as an excuse to say it.

I think the US has an issue with ableism (along with all its other fucking issues) and this has just highlighted it.

One million percent.

I think any neurotypical person who is so massively offended by a word uttered by someone with a neurological condition they had no control over that they’d self exclude from something they’d enjoy is a bit wet. So I guess I’d judge them.

So you are saying that in some contexts it is not offensive because the reclamation of the word means that people understand that there is no ill intent.

But in this situation it is offensive even though people understand that there is no ill intent because it is an involuntary tic.

That doesn't really make sense.

You’re gonna get really angry and wince when you hear what NWA stands for 😇

absolutely banging album BTW.

and why does the colour of my skin have ANYTHING to do with this?

I think this is terrible. He has a disability. End of story. The fact some people don't want to understand it or are unable to do so and they're making it about themselves with the undertone of blaming him for his disability is frankly disgusting.

They weren’t personally called N’s. He tic-ed. That’s what people aren’t getting. Over and over.

The more I think about it, the more inane this 'if the Queen smiled and nodded and didn't get upset, nobody should' argument is. The Queen's USP was literally keeping a stiff upper lip and never showing upset or discomfort about anything. She'd have done that if anyone had said the same to her. 'Famously non reacting woman didn't react' isn't the win people think it is!

It’s so frustrating, isn’t it?

I specifically said, "because they know they are sensitive to being triggered by a slur or shouted insult" so not, not 'massively offended', but triggered due to their own trauma or private issues.

And why would you judge them for self-excluding? It feels like you're trying to set up a situation where people will be judged just as much for taking responsibility for themselves and their own feelings, and removing themselves from the situation rather than trying to exclude Davidson, and I'm not sure why?

Breaking news: White person thinks someone involuntarily calling black people the n word is HILARIOUS.

Hm.

Cringe.

What you’re both not getting is that the tic was triggered by seeing two black men (and the other black people he said it to that night), he didn’t shout the N word at white people. It’s involuntary and he didn’t mean it but context is also relevant.

Oh, sorry, didn't realise you made the rules!

Hilarious indeed. You daring edgelord, you.

Yes.

literally yes.

the funniest thing I’ve seen in a week and I really do look out for laughs.

I regularly drive around playing Straight Outta Compton with my windows down, last black guy who heard me came to give me a fist bump.

It's pretty clear why.

Because they have no reason to be 'offended' or to 'manage their emotions' or to 'remove themselves'

A person with Tourette's blurted out a word they shouldn't. It's a complete non-story, it's Tourette's. People present around him knew he has Tourette's. It was then explained over and over afterwards.

Do people get offended when a severely autistic person in a supermarket makes loud noises too? No. Because that would be deeply inappropriate, unwarranted and, indeed, offensive. There's virtually ZERO difference.

I understand that his involuntary tics mean that he shouted the n word at them, without wanting to.

I do get that.

But I certainly don't think it is the place of a white person to be either laughing at the situation, or saying 'well, it's in rap music anyway, so why do they care?' There's a difference between 'He didn't mean it that way and couldn't help it, so people should be understanding,' and 'Oh, it's funny and the n word isn't a big deal anyway, get over it!'

It’s hilarious based on everyone I’ve spoken to about it. And Im tempted to say it’s objectively funny on the base rules of comedy to be perfectly honest but I won’t.

I see it more as to the people who are implying that he’s selective with his tics, that he knows what he’s doing, the implication that he’s ‘knowingly’ been racist (this is going on on the other thread at the moment) when he’s also tic-ed offensively at the Queen. The Queen! It’s to show these tics don’t discriminate. Yes she has a stiff upper lip but she wasn’t a shrinking violet by any means.