rat

hey, i understand your frustration. everything revolving the BAFTA’s has been truly upsetting, and you absolutely have a right to be angry. in fact, i would be shocked if people weren’t!

that being said, i don’t tolerate prejudice in any regard, ableism included. instead, i’d like to extend an invitation to you, and anyone else angered by what’s happened and how it was handled, to be open to these uncomfortable conversations. i’d also like to encourage you to read john davidson’s interview with variety on the aftermath of the BAFTA’s, his experience, and what steps he had taken prior to prevent this very situation (which, as we know now, BBC and the BAFTA’s did not handle it as assured.)

tourette syndrome is deeply misunderstood, just as most disabilities are, and is incredibly complex, and humiliating.

first off, tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder which causes misfires to occur, resulting in involuntary sounds, or movements. what was displayed that night is a certain type of tourette’s known as coprolalia. this is what causes tics such as obscenities, and slurs.

a point i’ve been seeing brought up is why that tic? why when there are black actors upon the stage, and at no other points? the thing about tourette’s is it is often reactionary. here’s a recent example from my very own experiences! i play the flute in a band, and last week during our rehearsal a member of the band made a joke where the latter half involved a threat, and that no one at the school would yell out a threat. my tourette’s decided to act, and thus i yelled out, very loudly, “I HAVE A BOMB!” this is because tics often “echo” or riff off of what you see, hear, or are engaging with.

so, in the instance of two black men on stage while a man with coprolalia who’s tics have been worsening due to stress and anxiety, it’s not inconceivable that the tic which would manifest would be the n slur. this is also because tics, especially coprolalia, target what is most socially unacceptable at the given moment.

as stated in his interview with variety, john davidson had several other inappropriate tics throughout the evening, including yet not limited to honophobic rhetoric, and loudly exclaiming that alan cumming was a pedophile.

we don’t do these things for shock value or a reaction from others, we do it because of a neurological misfiring that forces us to do or say things we do not believe.

i’d also like to add that in this same interview, john davidson’s team expressed to variety that they’ve reached out to the cast of sinners to extend a direct apology for what happened.

for those saying to either alter ourselves, or not even appear in public spaces if we risk having obscene tics: why should we be expected to change ourselves or hide away? for the comfort of the able-bodied?

i completely empathise with michael b jordan, delroy lindo, and the black community who has all been hurt by what happened. in the same breath, i’d also like to ask people to extend empathy to john davidson, the man with tourette syndrome who ticced the n-slur.

not only did he bring up his condition with the coordinators at the BAFTA’s, and his concerns, but they were all set aside and he was told they would handle it and inform all the guests present. sure they did inform them, but that came AFTER the incident, and was expressed in a graceless, dismissive manner by host alan cumming, holding no empathy towards anyone involved.

even if we disregard that and say the BAFTA’s made a simple mistake and could’ve handled it with more class, what excuse is there for placing a microphone right in front of davidson? he even expressed concern, citing that his tics, like many people with tourette’s, get worse under stressful situation. what could be more stressful than having a microphone in front of you reminding you of your disability while attending an award show where a movie about YOU and YOUR LIFE with tourette syndrome?

it is already incredibly embarrassing having a tic of this nature in such a public manner, but for the BAFTA’s to exploit it by purposely neglecting to edit it out before streaming the award show? it is a malicious act of negligence to the nth degree for everyone involved. not only that but to erase every bit of pro palestinian sentiment expressed by the guests, all the while promoting an embarrassing moment to open the floor to both racism and ableism is truly disgusting.

the reanimated corpse of president josip broz tito of ex yugoslavia sitting in my living room hallucinating off half an edible: uhhhhhh