#tics mention

Shoutout to people with functional tics

Shoutout to people who have dystonia

Shoutout to people with Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures

Shoutout to people with paralysis and or weakness

Shoutout to people with tremors

Shoutout to people who shut down/unresponsive episodes

Shoutout to people who have walking difficulties

Shoutout to people who have numbness

Shoutout to people who have speech problems

Shoutout to people with vision problems

Shoutout to people with hearing problems

Shoutout to people with memory loss

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.

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thinking about steve with tics nd how he tics more when he gets excited, or has other strong emotions.

and thinking about how when he kisses eddie he has to pull away for a tic break, and how sometimes he does his little 'pops' when they're face to face.

and thinking about how much eddie supports him on bad days when his jaw is locked, or his hands are sore from the constant flicking from his tics, and how eddie will gently massage his jaw to ease the pain, or rub his hands or bring him ice or a warm towel.

and thinking about autistic robin who's got echolalia and how she echos steve's vocal tics and steve's tics will mimic back so they just get into a loop of saying "fuck off" in a british accent back and forth.

and thinking about eleven who's never seen someone tic before and she wonders if she goes in his brain she can see them happen. and maybe steve'll let her some day.

and thinking about how on their wedding day saying their 'i do's' steve tics with a loud whistle, yknow the one that's like whe-woo, calling someone hot, and he apologizes but eddie does it right back.

Like it's a parents' job to support their kids, and yet people like me still have to avoid our parents on bad days or go to the bathroom to tic because are families think we "caught our tics from tiktok" and will get upset with us.

Society claims to support and respect everyone but most people won't do the bare minimum to educate themselves on tics and continue to perpetuate stereotypes.

I shouldn't have to suppress my tics around my family, it's painful, support and acceptance is the bare minimum.

I shouldn't have to be afraid going to go into public because I fear being harassed.

I shouldn't have to be afraid going to my homeschool co-op for fear of being harassed or fear of teachers not knowing what tics are.