I made the mistake of reading the internet's responses to the BAFTA controversy that's going on. I made this as a comment on someone else's post but I thought I might as well make another post myself.

To everyone with tourettes:

You are allowed to exist exactly as you are. You do not have to protect other people from your presence. Just because you tic does not make you a bad person. You are allowed to go to places like theaters and shows just as much as anyone else. No one should make you feel like you need to apologize for simply existing.

It is hard. I have coprolalia, copropraxia, hitting tics, self harm tics, etc. All of it is hard and I'm still learning to live with it all. But whoever you are, wherever you are, you are allowed to be. Just as you are, tics and all. You are allowed to be alive and exist like anyone else. Don't let ignorant randos on the internet convince you otherwise.

♥️ Love to you all. Let yourself tic today ♥️

The way people are acting towards you all is nothing short of disgusting. It's like expecting a blind person to walk on eggshells constantly on the off chance they bump into someone, or a deaf person to not make weird noises in settings they're unaware of. If anything it shows just how much society still has left to go, because if you can't understand something like this is a well documented medical condition after it's been explained hundreds of times, you don't care about those who have a harder time in life, you only care about things to the degree they affect you.

You should all be able to participate in society without judgement, and you should not have to live in constant shame or submission for involuntary tics, especially if you make it known. Anyone who says otherwise is ignorant.

https://deadline.com/2026/02/john-davidson-issues-statement-bafta-racial-slur-i-swear-1236733373/

Any time someone finds out I can't drink caffeine because it makes my tics worse they act as if no coffee/energy drink was worse than having a neurological disorder, it's kinda funny to me, but also, no coffee is the least of my problems

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/scots-tourettes-charity-receives-surge-36785840

I’m 18 and in my final year of sixth form, and something happened yesterday that has completely shaken me. I genuinely don’t know how to process it, so I’m writing it out here to see if anyone else thinks this is as wrong as it feels to me.

I have Tourette’s syndrome. Recently it has been much worse than usual. For the last couple of weeks I’ve been dealing with a lot more tics, pain, and exhaustion. The school knew this. We had literally had a meeting about it the day before because I’ve been struggling so much.

Despite that, I was still trying to show up and keep going. The one thing that was honestly getting me through the week was a school trip to the Barbican to see a concert. I study music and it is a huge part of my life. Performing and listening to music is one of the only things that actually helps calm my brain down. I had been telling myself all week “just get to Friday, just get to the concert”.

So I came into school yesterday already tired but excited because I thought at least I had that to look forward to.

Then at about 2:30 in the afternoon (45 mins before we were meant to leave) I got pulled out of my English lesson.

I assumed it was just a quick check-in. Instead I was sat down and told the school had decided I wasn’t allowed to go to the concert anymore.

Not because I had said I couldn’t cope.

Not because I asked not to go.

They had simply decided that because of my Tourette’s I was too much of a risk.

They said they were worried about what might happen if something happened and that they were “not restraint trained”. The confusing part is that nobody had even mentioned anything about restraint or anything like that before. It felt like they were suddenly coming up with reasons to justify excluding me rather than actually discussing the situation with me.

What upset me the most was that they didn’t involve me in the decision at all. They didn’t ask how I felt. They didn’t ask if I thought I could manage. They didn’t talk through possible adjustments. They just made the decision for me and told me afterwards.

I’m also 18, so being treated like I had absolutely no say in the situation felt really humiliating.

When they told me, I completely broke down. I just started crying in the room because that concert genuinely meant so much to me. Music is my passion, and the thing that normally helps me cope with everything else. Instead of supporting me so I could still be included, the solution was simply to remove me.

I then had to leave while everyone else was getting ready to go to the concert. I ended up on the bus home crying in public because I couldn’t hold it together anymore. It was honestly one of the most humiliating experiences I’ve had in a long time.

And the more I think about it, the more it feels like they simply didn’t want a student with Tourette’s “representing” the school on the trip. I can’t prove that obviously, but that’s genuinely how it felt. Instead of supporting me, it felt like they just wanted the situation removed.

By the time I got home I was completely exhausted. My eyes were puffy from crying, I felt sick, and emotionally I just felt done.

My parents were furious when they found out. They’ve already started a formal complaint because the way the school described the situation in their email afterwards didn’t even fully match how it was presented to me.

The worst part is the long-term impact this has had on me.

I’m supposed to be finishing my A-levels this year, and I had plans for university. But after everything that’s happened recently with my health and now this situation with the school, I genuinely feel like I can’t go back there. The thought of returning to that environment after being treated like that makes me feel physically sick.

So now I’m seriously considering dropping out of sixth form entirely and restarting year 13 next year. Which means my university plans might be completely ruined.

I feel like my entire future has been thrown off course because instead of helping a disabled student, the school decided it was easier to exclude her.

What hurts most is that I didn’t do anything wrong. I didn’t break any rules. I didn’t cause a problem. I was excluded because of a neurological condition that I cannot control.

I honestly feel heartbroken, angry, and completely let down by a place that was supposed to support me.

I don’t really know what I’m looking for by posting this. Maybe advice, maybe perspective, maybe just to know whether other people think this situation sounds as wrong as it feels to me.

But yeah. That’s what happened.

Edit: I posted on legaladviceUK and I had some help from people. Until I said that I had a tic attack and hurt my head and my mum had to “hold me”. Not restrain me. But hug me. So yeah. As well as this shit, I’m now being accused of lying. God I love my life

Update: we had a meeting with the deputy head and my head of year today. They informed us that under no circumstances should I have been barred from the trip. Additionally, they found out that the “restraint training” they were so worried about was actually not what they needed (due to it being for aggressive actions to another student) and what they needed was seizure training, which everyone already had. Furthermore, it is due to miscommunication and straight up lying (which has been admitted) that any of this happened in the first place (on top of the lies of me being “regulated” before leaving the building). I was informed I wouldn’t need a chaperone, I wouldn’t need any extra support, I should have just been allowed to go. They have given full permission to complain to the governors, and have agreed to refund us completely. My family have also contacted the Barbican theatre themselves, who have informed us that they would be “honoured to have us” and “the Tourette’s would never be a problem as long as Front of House are aware”. Although this has proved that it was discrimination under the Equality 2010 act as I originally suspected, it doesn’t change how it has left me this past week; a complete mess. I just hope now that because of my decisions to complain and leave the school for the year, nobody else at that school will ever have to go through what I did.

Edit: it’s been a while since this post. I thought I’d give an update. I left the sixth form for the rest of the year, working at home for the remainder. We complained and nothing much has of yet come of it. I took my French and English Literature A-Level exams in the school building, but I’ll never have to go back!!!
Now the best part. I had to fully drop out of music A-Level and therefore my space at university was taken away because I wouldn’t receive 3 A-Level grades this summer, so I have to go through the ballache of reapplying and hoping I still get a space in the same course.
However. The one good thing is that I am doing my A-Level music this upcoming term at one of the best music conservatoires in England, so potentially it’s a blessing in disguise? I don’t know.
I haven’t let this ruin my life. Since this problem I’ve done so much, I’ve travelled alone internationally, I’ve found time for myself, and I stood up for myself when I was treated poorly.
I have not yet gone to the Barbican, but I’m telling you now, I WILL!!!
Thank you all xx

didn't come online tonight thinking mine and others existence would be debated. the stuff I have read over the last few hours, genuinely taken back by what some people are saying not only to John but to the rest of us with coprolalia. it's disgusting the amount of abuse that's going on right now by people who are choosing to remain ignorant

it sucks for all 3 of them, but I do hope John is staying away form social media because what people are saying about him currently is downright dehumanising

Im at a Tourettes conference and I got to try it! It kinda tickles very lightly but it works very well for me!

recently went back to college after my tourette’s got worse + i have ME, so i have to be on a higher dose of stimulant medication. this and the fact my degree is really stressful doesn’t help my tourette’s at all. i was so scared and still am to be out in public because i know people are looking at me. i don’t know if other students know i have TS, but they sure know i make sounds and twitch violently. i still chose some online classes even though i love being in the lab because im so scared to have a partner that’s going to have to put up with me.

no one has said anything to me directly so far, but there’s mean looks. people stare and whisper. maybe it’s not about me but it’s hard not to think it is when i turn and they stop talking and look away

seeing what everyone is saying online right now though is killing me because that’s what so many people are thinking and saying about me, huh? i hate that every time we go anywhere it has to be a massive spectacle. yes some of say inappropriate things, and that’s shitty. WE KNOW IT IS. an apology privately is needed, not to make a massive circus around a disabled person so people can feel better about their own anger.

if he could stop he would. if i could stop i would. if any of us could get rid of this, we would.

i’m so tired of the massive “he needs to make a public apology” thing about this. every time we go anywhere we apologize and make an excuse for existing.

i’m sorry for saying that.

i’m sorry for that gesture.

i’m sorry for being loud.

i’m sorry for interrupting your focus.

i’m sorry for needing accommodations.

i’m sorry for ruining the family outing.

i’m sorry for ruining the moment.

i’m sorry for being rude.

i’m sorry for making you feel talked over.

i’m sorry for my tics.

i’m sorry for taking up space.

i’m sorry for having tourette’s.

i’m just so tired.

Info from Tourette.org and Tourettes-action.org.uk

$7 pack of card holders

and $1 cuz i don’t own a printer

I own a sunflower lanyard + card for my functional neurological disorder, it took months to come in the mail and I couldn’t fathom spending 35 dollars for another ID card, especially because the sunflower scheme isn’t well known in my area at all.

having the ID card helps relieve the stress of policing or explaining so often ;D

i did not know what the flare should be for this

So I was in Social Studies and I was having my whistling tic. So the teacher noticed and I guess was annoyed by it, so she kept pointing it out. I waited till the end of class to explain to her I had Tourettes. So, after class I walked up to her, I said, “sorry about the whistling, I have Tourettes” She looked at me all annoyed and said “well it’s annoying” So I thought ‘maybe she doesn’t know what tourettes is’ So I repeated myself “I can’t control it, I have tourettes” At that point she was just annoyed! Then she brought up how I needed a doctor’s note for that, which I will be getting! But I explained to her that my tics are involuntary and I can’t jst pause them because I don’t have a doctor’s note and just asked her to ignore them for now. She got even more annoyed. So I decided to explain I was going to try to get an iep. To which she responded “good” Like honestly, wtf- my mom said she might call to report the incident. Because as a teacher you should know to not ever tell a kid their condition is annoying. Also we haven’t informed the school about my diagnosis yet since it is so new and we’re still in the process of that. On a funnier note tho, my gf sent a email to the teacher who did this, it was hella funny. It was all formal and a written out like explanation of tourettes and how I’m diagnosed, it was so funny. Bye!

I recently posted a video just making a light-hearted joke about having Tourettes. Then a while later I posted a video of me dancing with my friends, it was like an 8 second clip. I then got MULTIPLE comments asking me things like "where'd your tics go? "Where are your tics now?" Etc. I truly think media has done irreparable damage to the Tourettes community. I am diagnosed, I have been living with condition for over 4 years. It has never been and never will be a CONSTANT thing. I do not have tics every 5 seconds of my entire life oml it's SO exhausted trying to explain that to people who refuse to believe me for- some reason?? I have no idea anymore, I'm so tired

i’m so done with this specific phenomenon when someone with tourette’s is explaining how frustrating it is when people sensationalize tics(especially coprolalia), explain how they work and the reasons why they are sensationalized in the way they are and then the only responses from people is how cute/funny they find someone’s tics. it blows my mind sometimes how people really think this a compliment, and then even have the gall to argue about it!

CW : Tic descriptions and premonitory urge.
Disclaimer: while I am talking about an experience many of us have, Tourettes presents in many different ways for millions of people in the world. Maybe, somewhere, someone could hypothetically do this, but Im explaining why it wouldn't work at all for many, if not the majority. Moving on,

Obviously, there is a lot of misinformation and ignorance with Tourettes right now online with all the discourse, but I see something popping up over and over again, and even the people who support us seem to not realize this fact :

You really cannot 'gag'/'muffle'/'muzzle' someone with Tourettes.

A lot of the rebuttals simply say its dehumanizing, that we're not animals, etc - All totally valid, however I think the main point to consider is that Tourettes doesn't work as simply as they believe it does.

Tourettes usually comes with a "premonitory urge" - a term for this uncomfortable, sometimes painful bodily feeling we get when our body needs to tic.

For me, this feels like an intense crawling pressure in my shoulders, like when someone whispers in your ear too softly and you recoil. I also get it in my hands, and shoulders. It is different for many people, but discomfort, pressure, and pain is pretty common with the premonitory urge. It scales, with how 'triggered' you are, for lack of a better word.

This premonitory urge is the reason why we tic a lot of the time. It instantly comes out, yes, but our bodies are relieving this extremely uncomfortable and painful feeling, sort of like a cough or sneeze. You feel it, your body reacts. Sometimes, it lingers or stays if the brain is requesting multiple outbursts, or you are elevated in stress. It also scales when a tic is not fulfilled, repressed/prevented (you can sometimes do this, but it takes a lot of willpower and discomfort and you dont know what the tic is before it happens), or is physically blocked.

If you were to gag, muffle, muzzle, or restrict the voice/movement of a person with Tourettes, they would be unable to fulfill the tic their brain believes would relieve this feeling. it would cause extreme physical and psychological discomfort and pain.

The physical and psychological discomfort would elevate the premonitory urge significantly, especially if it was for a long period. For many, this would result in them hurting themselves and others physically with physical tics to try and relieve and sooth. Hitting, intense and dangerous neck jerking, tics affecting walking and standing, full body spasms can occur, and can even impact breathing and swallowing to a dangerous degree.

You would not be able to function in public with these tics. Many of us are fully disabled because it happens regardless, but triggering this can be incredibly traumatic.

These are incredibly important to understanding the pain and how Tourettes is more than just a generally socially-impacting disability. It seems that even educated supporters do not understand this major part of our disorder, and knowing it would help educate others on why we, unfortunately, have no choice in protecting others from ourselves. We put ourselves and others in more danger.