John Davidson, the renowned Tourette's campaigner, has reduced his working hours at a long-time community centre job to accommodate his newfound fame. The activist has been a caretaker at the Langlee Community Centre and Langlee Complex in Galashiels since 1991, but has now transitioned to part-time work following the success of his autobiographical film, I Swear.
International Recognition
Davidson has been propelled into the international spotlight after I Swear achieved BAFTA success and reached a global audience. He reports being regularly contacted by Tourette's sufferers worldwide, as the disorder—an incurable brain condition characterized by involuntary tics—affects many who now see him as a beacon of hope.
Speaking to the BBC, Davidson remarked: "It's bizarre that people thousands and thousands of miles away feel they know me well enough from either watching the film or seeing me on television to get in touch. There has been a movement created by the film—it's not just locally or nationally, it's internationally. I'm being contacted all the time by people from the States, from all over Africa, China, India—you name it."
BAFTA Success and Controversy
This year's BAFTAs saw Robert Aramayo, who portrayed Davidson, win awards for Leading Actor and EE Rising Star. However, the success was overshadowed by controversy when Davidson shouted a racist slur while actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting an award, prompting allegations of racism. Davidson has since expressed being "deeply mortified" by the remark, and the BBC apologized for airing the incident, which could have been edited out of the time-delayed broadcast.
Despite the challenges, Davidson acknowledges a "hard shift" since the film's release, with some "difficult times" but also "an awful lot of good." He concluded, "It's certainly been worthwhile."
Community Engagement and Fundraising
Recently, Davidson was honored at a Tourette's awareness event at Scottish Borders Council's headquarters in Newtown St Boswells. He was joined by local children who also suffer from Tourette's in a ceremony that illuminated the headquarters in teal, the Tourette's campaign color.
Davidson first gained public attention as a participant in the 1988 documentary John's Not Mad, which helped raise awareness for Tourette syndrome at a time when public knowledge was limited. Since then, he has been a longstanding campaigner for the condition and received an MBE in 2019 for his work.
Last month, Davidson took a unique approach to fundraising by turning his most outrageous tics into quirky merchandise. The 55-year-old collaborated with a Scottish craft shop to design a range of products featuring censored or uncensored versions of his most notable slogans from I Swear. Jaw-dropping phrases like "Sp*nk for Milk" and "Yer Dugs Got T*ts" are now available on items such as keychains and coasters. Half of all proceeds go to charity Tourette Scotland, which supports others living with the syndrome.
