"Tourettes Hero symbol fabric patch" [NMLH.2024.38.2]

Catalogue Number
NMLH.2024.38.2

Object Name
Patch

Title
'th'

People
Jess Thom, Tourettes Hero

Description
A white circular patch with a blue edge, and blue stitched lettering of a winged 't' and an 'h' with a star beside it - the Tourettes Hero logo.


Tourettes Hero is a superhero alter ego of the artist, writer and activist, Jess Thom. Tourettes Hero was 'born' in 2010, as a way to "increase awareness of Tourettes and its challenges without self-pity or mockery", to promote social inclusion of young people with Tourettes in events for children focused around play, and to "take ownership of the laughter associated with Tourettes in order to provide a genuinely funny cultural alternative." This is to combat people without Tourettes using tics as a source of comedy, often through stereotyping or offensive portrayals which can lead to people with Tourettes being bullied or excluded.


Tourettes (Gilles de la Tourette syndrome) is a neurological condition affecting over three hundred thousand people in the UK. The main symptom of Tourettes is 'tics' - involuntary and uncontrollable movements (motor tics) and sounds (vocal tics). 10 percent of people with Tourettes, including Tourettes Hero, have a form of Tourettes called Coprolalia which means tics can include obscene or unacceptable language. 90% of people with Tourettes do not uncontrollably swear.

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