Okay, so this has been a long time coming.
I’ve noticed people have begun to headcanon Remus as having Tourettes Syndrome as a way to explain his outbursts and cursing, and like, I know representation matters, but the way people are doing it is harmful to actual people with Tourettes.
Tourettes isn’t just people who say inappropriate things. Tourettes is scrunching up your face, or blinking rapidly, or shaking your hands, or scuffing your feet against the floor, or jerky arm movements, or small squeaks, or clearing your throat, or humming.
Tourettes isn’t just a convenient headcanon for a character who’s inappropriate, and treating it as such is not only extremely upsetting for people with Tourettes, but it also spreads the idea that Tourettes is a bad thing.
Tourettes is more than blurting curses or being nasty. Tourettes is people crying because their ticks take everything out of them, but they still can’t stop, because it’s involuntary, and they have to ride it out until their muscles are so sore that they burn and ache the next day.
Tourettes is also people getting anxious for a test and clicking their tongue, and having to be escorted from the room for a private place where they won’t disrupt their classmates.
Tourettes is parents heading into the earliest opportunity to meet a teacher, and sitting the teacher down to explain their kids ticks and explaining what times they need to take their medicine and the proper way to calm their child during an episode so they don’t work themselves up badly.
Tourettes is doctors keeping in mind that their patients are more likely to have things like anxiety, OCD, and bipolar disorder.
Tourettes is people who hit 20 and their ticks are gone, while others are 50 and still experience them.
Tourettes is getting asked, “Omg, is that why you curse?” and having to explain that no, your cursing is a choice, much like it is with most people.
Tourettes is not telling your classmates because they start referencing Family Guy and other media that makes fun of people with Tourettes.
Tourettes is also finding out your friend bought you a gift and spending the day squeaking and slapping any flat surface as fast as you can from excitement.
Tourettes is parents knowing when their kids are getting sick, because their ticks increase, and they know to take them to the doctor to get checked out so whatever sickness is going on can be treated.
Tourettes isn’t the ugly thing some of y’all twist it to be, and some people are uncomfortable when they see someone ticking in public, only to assign this headcanon to characters who fit negative stereotypes and say, “I’m so inclusive!”
Stop. If you’re going to headcanon a character with Tourettes, do it correctly, or don’t do it at all.
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