Shayla Amamiya, a Black influencer with Tourette’s syndrome, broke down the reality of tics as celebrities like Jamie Foxx called out the BAFTA controversy.
The influencer posted a reel giving deeper context behind John Davidson’s racially-charged tics at the British Film Academy Awards (BAFTA) Feb. 22. Davidson, an activist with Tourette’s syndrome, shouted the n-word as Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented on stage, leaving many confused and shocked by the ordeal.
Some began to deny Davidson’s claims that the n-word was an uncontrollable tic, stating that his illness does not excuse racism. While agreeing that the situation remains nuanced, with onlookers able to have complex feelings regarding the outburst, the influencer also shared another side.
“I’m not going to say that people can’t be offended by the fact that somebody said the n-word as a tic. However, it’s not something that somebody can control. It’s not something that somebody wants to say,” argued the influencer.
Despite the empathy for both sides, she also encouraged those offended to dive deeper into how the disorder often presents itself. The woman explained how many people with TS can also have coprolalia, a symptom of the disorder that includes shouting out obscene words.
“We must understand what coprolalia is. [It] causes involuntary swearing and inappropriate tics. This can include the N-word slurs, etc. I am a black person, and even I have the n-word tic and slurs as tics. This is something I don’t see many talk about because of situations like this.”
Even with her context, she still allowed people to express their disappointment with the unfortunate circumstances, especially the actors and audience members who were directly affected. While she emphasized that Jordan and Lindo have “the right” to feel upset, especially if they were unaware, she still called for education on how these tics come to life.
“Yes, it is a very unfortunate situation. Seeing so many people say that they would invoke violence against people with coprolalia if they can’t control their tics. That’s ableism…it’s something that we can’t control. [Its] aggression in the brain being triggered, and ultimately causing inappropriate tics.”
The entire issue sparked debate among Hollywood circles as well as the Black and disabled communities. Jamie Foxx also slammed Davidson for his “unacceptable” remarks, arguing that he meant to say the slur towards the Black actors.
While Foxx received pushback by disability activists for his harsh take on the situation, some Black and disabled commentators also sided with the actor, stating that Davidson’s words still had racist implications. However, given that TS is an uncontrollable neurological disorder, the situation is not as clear-cut as typical bouts of racisms.
The incident has left many divided on Davidson’s intentions, while others called for empathy and understanding for the unusual moment.
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