Cambridge sociolinguist Amanda Cole publicly shares her Tourette's journey

Amanda Cole experienced her initial Tourette's tic during a religious studies class at 15 and received a formal diagnosis in her twenties, fearing it would ruin her future. Now a married mother and assistant professor of sociolinguistics at Cambridge University, she kept the disorder hidden throughout her academic career until a guest's offensive outburst at this year's BAFTA awards spurred her to speak out. With one outlet's cooperation, she revealed her condition during a lecture, noting that only about 0.03% of UK academic staff have disclosed similar developmental disorders. Cole explained how she masks tics, the lingering shame she feels, and the physical discomfort of suppressing them, while also describing the hyperfocus she attributes to Tourette's. Her husband, Ed Wellington, makes minor adjustments at home to reduce sensory overload, and she hopes her openness will foster acceptance for neurodivergent individuals in higher education.