Tourette activist John Davidson receives BAFTA and Order of the British Empire

John Davidson, a Scottish Tourette syndrome activist with coprolalia, was awarded the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 2019 for his advocacy, despite involuntarily shouting "Fuck the Queen!" during the ceremony. His life story is depicted in the biopic "Verflucht normal" (English title "I Swear"), directed by Kirk Jones. The film follows Davidson from his childhood in Galashiels in 1983, where his tics derailed a promising football career, through his struggles as an adult, to his eventual employment at a community center and his mission to educate the public about Tourette syndrome. The film premiered at the BAFTAs in February, where Davidson had a public outburst of coprolalia, shouting a racial slur during a presentation by actors Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan. The incident sparked apologies from the BBC and BAFTA, but also highlighted the importance of the film in raising awareness. Robert Aramayo, who plays Davidson, won the BAFTA for Best Actor for his performance. The film is described as a warm-hearted tragicomedy in the tradition of British 1990s hits like "The Full Monty" and "Brassed Off," emphasizing human dignity and solidarity.