Take the Tourette Pledge to stop using Tourette Syndrome as a punchline.

Posted on 16 March 2020

Share

Tourette pledge to stop using Tourette Syndrome as a punchline.

We understand that humour can be intimately linked with aspects of Tourette Syndrome.  Sharp wit, creative flare, and surreal and imaginative wordplay can bring joy and laughter to those with TS and their friends and families.  However, wha's upsetting is seeing TS used as a comedy device, a piece of shorthand to explain non-conforming or "otherness" behaviour in a negative, derogatory manner.  As harmless as intentions may be, using TS as a punchline reduces public perception of this complex neurological condition, into one that is funny and not to be taken seriously.

Why is it OK to make a mockery of a neurological condition, and in some cases a disability, when it's certainly not OK to publically joke about race, gender or sexuaity?  Our pledge to stop using Tourette Syndrome as a punchline is not about being politically correct; it's not about being humourless.  We're simply asking people to think about their impact, and find another way to make their point, because reinforcing two-dimensional stereotypes serves nobody; it just feeds into the insidious problem of defining individuals by their condition, and what's worse, a mis-leading caricature of that condition.

Please sign the pledge online today.

Return to news