Scrolling through the Instagram feed of make-up artist James MacInerney, you’ll see only incredible talent. His page resembles a portfolio of extraordinary make-up artists, with 290,000 followers and TV credits such as Netflix’s Glow Up, he rises fairly seamlessly in today’s prolific career. You would think you did. What you may not know about James is that in recent years he has made the courageous decision to share his story of life with Tourette.
Oulette syndrome is a condition that causes a person to make involuntary sounds and movements called tics. It usually begins in childhood and is commonly considered a taunt disorder. But in reality, 90% of people with Tourette’s disability do not swear. For decades, popular culture has created distorted pictures of Tourette’s Syndrome.
The documentary focuses on people with extreme symptoms such as coprolalia and repeated taunts. Hollywood movies used it as a way to make cheap laughter. Comedians are using it as a punch line, and it’s time to stop this story.
James first publicly talked about life with Tourette in 2019 when he was a BBC player. Glow up — Before being broadcast on the huge streaming Netflix. “The reaction after sharing my story Glow up It was overwhelming at first. Still, the big picture is very powerful, and it has realized the platform given to share your story with the same people who live under the same conditions every day. “
James, now 28, talks about when his parents first began to notice the signs of Tourette’s. James grew up in Abbeyleix, County Laois, the only child of his “amazing parents.” “When I was 6 or 7, I started blinking a little bigger and then kicking my legs, so I think things have accumulated as a habit of muscles. As I got older, I transferred to a boarding school. [a co-ed boarding school in the south of Ireland] It was a very cookware pressure environment where I was away from home from 12 to 18 years old. I think it was when I was a teenager when tics actually started, as stress is a big trigger. .. “
“It’s hard to have a physical thing like Tourette’s. It’s very hard to disguise and I don’t play victim cards etc. but you’re really a joke hole. So long Please experience for a while. “
Navigating our teens can be difficult enough if nothing physically changes about us. Must it have been a difficult few years to overcome this? “It’s hard to have a physical thing like Tourette’s. It’s very hard to disguise and I don’t play victim cards etc. but you’re really a joke hole. So long Experience.
“But there is no” woeisme “in my story. The boarding school taught me a lot. I’ve always reached far beyond Tourette’s. Because I knew there was a bigger picture. Yes, I knew there was a tic. I knew there was a sound of these percussion instruments. I think I became more and more aware of it during school, and how I had to act, and the specific way I had to. And it never helped, as it was always like trying to hold your breath. You start pretending to be something you are hardly yourself. It definitely put a lot of pressure on me to question myself and made me wonder, “God, am I really there and so different?”
“I think another factor is that I’m very straightforward and proudly queer. I knew from a young age that I was gay, and those things are clear. It was a very oppressive issue that grew up in Ireland in the early 2000s. The year of the marriage referendum was actually the year I came out, and since then I have had such mental changes and general pride. I’ve seen it. I think I was in the closet and was much more worried than I was thinking about the Tourette disorder. In a way, it probably helped me in general with resilience and strength. I think it’s a thing. “
When it came to living with Tourette, James had to make sure he found the inner strength to face adversity. “I remember being asked at school. Can they call me Twitcher, as if they were polite to ask first .. I always ask young people, it Say it’s most important to talk about. That means you can get the right support and help for you. I don’t want anyone to feel lonely, like at that moment. . “
Still, James turned the pain into using his voice to spread a positive perception of Tourette’s. “I’ve stepped into Tourette’s story in the last few years, so I’ve regained my strength. Don’t get me wrong. I’m aware of it even when I’m in public, but I’m I’m much more confident about it and much more confident about talking to people about it. It was a really big growth process for me. “
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James Mac Inerney has been successful in the creative makeup industry. Photo: Andres Poveda
Participating in the BBC documentary made this even more complicated. “This documentary really started to talk deeply about life with Tourette, what it means to me, my life, and my purpose beyond my make-up career. It was my first time. For me, I hadn’t spoken openly two years ago, so this whole new conversation was held.
“I have been diagnosed with neurological tics rather than the more stereotypical Tourette’s syndrome, which people are quite misunderstood. So it opens up so many different paths of debate and recognition, I It even opened up a kind of new understanding for myself. “
Did he feel connected to meeting other people who could be involved in what he was dealing with? “I saw people with Tourette’s disorder and tics growing very little. When I first talked about Tourette’s, it was Glow upI remember looking back at the segment that talked about Tourette’s. I remember it really turned red. I was a little embarrassed. It’s funny, so you never see yourself that way.
“So when I first saw myself in the camera, it gave me a whole new perception of the limbs or their vulnerabilities. It’s scary, but God, by overcoming it, by my world. When did a lot of power and light come? Glow up I moved to Netflix at the end of the summer of 2020. At that time, things really exploded. I have received messages from every corner of the world, from my family, from my parents, and from people with other forms of Tourette’s disability. And from people who look like me, it was great. I used to feel, “God, who is there like me?” And it turns out that there were millions. ” [laughs]
It was last summer that journalist Aidy Smith contacted BBC Radio Four and asked James to be part of his documentary. The truth about Tourette’s.. Adie herself suffers from Tourette’s Syndrome, and in this program Adie meets people with her great talent and successful career who have overcome Tourette’s struggle.
“I often talked to my parents in contact about the kids who have it. I just say,” It’s just a little weird. ” Tourette’s are more colorful. You need to step into that light and be proud of yourself. “
People like Pete Bennett who gained fame in 2006 after winning the 7th series of Channel 4 reality shows BrotherAnd, of course, Dr. Wilson Tsai, a US thoracic surgeon who wants to inspire others by sharing the ways martial arts and medical practices have given him confidence and values, and of course James.
“I often talked to my parents in contact about the kids who have it. I just say,” It’s just a little weird. ” Tourette’s are more colorful. You need to step into that light and be proud of yourself. I am courageous, educated, understanding, and motivated to be a spokesperson for people, so I look forward to continuing to expand this conversation. “
What does he want people to get from listening to this documentary? “I hope people hear it and know that one shared issue is at least half the issue. By listening to someone like me, I’m confident. Regardless, it may give someone else the courage to talk about it. A family member or someone near them, just that they will know they are never alone. Feeling lonely Was my greatest feeling when I was growing up. I came out on the other side and know that there are many more things in life. “
The truth about Tourette’s is available at bbc.co.uk. Check out @jmac_mua on Instagram and tourettes-action.org.uk for more information.
About Tourette’s Syndrome
• Tourette’s syndrome is a condition that causes a person to make involuntary sounds and movements called tics. It usually begins in childhood.
• In the UK, more than 300,000 children and adults live with TS. There are no accurate statistics available in Ireland.
• There is no cure for Tourette’s syndrome, and most children with tic disorder do not need treatment. However, treatment may be recommended to control tics and may require behavioral therapy or medication. Your GP may refer you to a variety of specialists, such as a neurologist, to get a diagnosis or to explore treatment options.
