The incident that happened at the BAFTA Awards was preventable even though it was complicated.
If you aren't aware, earlier this week the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) held their annual award ceremony, televised via the BBC. At that ceremony, John Davidson, the subject of the film I Swear and a person who has Tourette's Syndrome, shouted racial slurs while Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan were on stage presenting an award. It was loud enough that they, along with many others, heard it. They had to hear it and keep going.
Image of Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presenting at the BAFTAs.
The fallout sparked a massive discussion around understanding the various details of Tourette's, who was responsible, who apologized and when, whether there was a real apology at all, and why the slurs were kept in the broadcast when other content had been edited out, especially since this was a live event aired on tape delay.
During uncomfortable situations that deal with race and other social identities, it has been my experience that race is by far the most difficult subject people encounter. In a situation where a person's condition caused them to shout a slur, the Black men who have deep ancestral relationships to that word were immediately tasked with forgiveness. As an inclusion consultant, I often tell my clients that these situations will not always be clean and simple, like a KKK member shouting at people of different backgrounds. These occurrences can come from people with good intentions. This is why we separate intent from impact.
Some of my colleagues and I discussed how we would have approached this event to help everyone who attended feel they were in a safe environment. I heard from Black people with Tourette's that they have simply removed themselves from events so as not to cause harm. Even in the film I Swear, the character of John Davidson shouts a slur at Queen Elizabeth. And notably, many felt that a timely, direct apology to Lindo and Jordan never came, not from Davidson, BAFTA, or the BBC. There is an empathy to living life that way, and it was very helpful to hear from Black people with Tourette's to better understand the experience. Some felt that if you have a neurological condition or any kind of different ability, you cannot be racist. We should note that this is not factually true. People are complex and hold many different intersectionalities. Just like all women don't love makeup, all men don't love sports, and all Black people aren't African Americans. You can be racist, homophobic, or a misogynist and still donate to food pantries. People are complex.
Back to my colleagues and I discussing this. It matters because this could have happened in a workplace, a conference, a team meeting, or even a retreat. What would we do? First, people with different abilities and accommodations are varied. Specificity helps. If you know who you hired or who's in attendance at an event, you ideally have asked them about their accommodations and what has worked for them in previous spaces. The goal isn't removing them, as some people with Tourette's have said they do voluntarily. Perhaps there is a different location in the space, one not close to a microphone that would amplify their tics, where they can be seated more comfortably.
But these things happen. So when they do, what should follow?
Immediately centering and prioritizing those impacted is essential. That didn't happen here. The first public response was BAFTA asking for understanding regarding Davidson's condition, rather than leading with an apology to Lindo, Jordan, and all those affected. This is particularly important because that slur, during Black History Month in the US, carries an immense history that is not widely understood. This was evident when people outside the Black community said they would have simply shrugged it off. For more on the history of this slur, Clint Smith's How the Word Is Passed is an excellent resource. The Black community has been asked for centuries to hold space and extend grace to those who meant well, consistently prioritizing others' comfort over accountability. As someone aptly noted, it's as if accountability is treated as a punishment rather than a means to make amends. Why was that so hard to prioritize first?
Image of the cover of Clint Smith’s book “How The Word Is Passed”
The next question is understanding why the decision was made to broadcast the slur when other content was edited out, particularly after studio executives were reportedly assured it would not air. Why was a different standard applied? Finally, yes, education about Tourette's is important, and having that conversation in the full context of everything above is a necessary next step. But this situation grew as large as it did because of the incident itself, its impact, and how poorly it was handled. Ideally, future events are managed with inclusion subject matter experts who can develop a plan that creates safety for everyone in attendance and a contingency plan for when things don't go as planned. Other organizations would do well to learn from this one.
To learn about Tourette’s from the perspective of someone who has it and is a member of the Black community, I suggest following Jamie Grace.
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