BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts.

Hello, I'm James Reynolds.

Welcome to the documentary from the BBC World Service.

In BBC conversations, we bring people together to share their experiences. and this time we hear from people with Tourette's syndrome.

Tourette's is an incurable condition causing people to make sudden repetitive movements or sounds known as ticks.

In a minority of people, spoken t ticks can be offensive phrases or swear words.

That's the case with John Davidson, whose life story and struggle with Tourette's inspired the film

I Swear, which has just won three BAFTA Awards. He was a guest at the ceremony in London.

During the ceremony, he shouted different offensive words. But when

sinners stars Michael B. Jordan and Del Rolinda were on stage, Davidson shouted a racial slur.

This was then broadcast by the BBC. In a statement, Davidson said that he was deeply mortified

and that the ticks were involuntary and didn't carry any meaning.

The BBC has been widely criticised for not editing out the word.

The BBC and BAFTA have both apologised.

Each is now investigating.

The events, meanwhile, have sparked a global debate.

Our first conversation this week is with two black Americans with two. The events, meanwhile, have sparked a global debate.

Our first conversation this week is with two black Americans with Tourette syndrome.

Jermani D. Williams is a New York City public advocate, believed to be the first US elected official who has Tourette's.

Jemani sometimes ticks the N-word himself, which, as you will hear, we have bleeped out.

He's in conversation with Jamie Grace, a music producer in Atlanta. As a black woman, and specifically as a black woman in America, anytime the N-word is heard,

specifically in the context of a white person to a black person, it's horrible.

...