"I've had a successful career but at times, I worry that my work suffers because I have Tourette syndrome (TS). I almost always suggest phone interviews instead of in-person. I worry my twitching eyes and head shakes distract the very people I need to open up to me."
"Davidson lives with a rare and particularly cruel form of the disorder called coprolalia—one that forces him to involuntarily shout the most obscene and offensive things imaginable. In the days since, the bulk of the outrage has shifted to the organizers of the award show and the BBC for not editing the outburst."
"The incident has also revived a debate over the nature of a neurological disorder, the extent to which it should be accommodated, and the right to feel comfortable in public spaces. The public imagination of [Tourette's] disorder is largely a one-dimensional caricature."
A Guardian journalist covering Canada who has Tourette syndrome reflects on how the disorder affects their professional life, particularly their preference for phone interviews due to concerns about visible tics distracting sources. The perspective shifts following John Davidson's racist outbursts at the Bafta awards, where his coprolalia—a rare form of Tourette syndrome causing involuntary obscene utterances—sparked debate about neurological disorders, public accommodation, and comfort in shared spaces. The incident revealed a significant gap between public perception of Tourette syndrome and its actual manifestations. Most people with TS experience mild tics like head shakes and eye blinks, not the extreme coprolalia associated with Davidson. This disparity between stereotype and reality shapes how individuals with the disorder navigate professional and social environments.
#tourette-syndrome #neurodiversity-and-workplace #coprolalia #public-perception-vs-reality #disability-accommodation
Read at www.theguardian.com
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