A Statement on the Crisp Eating Appreciation Society Festival

My existence as a person who identifies as a Misophonia sufferer should not be up for debate. Bring back capital punishment for public crisp eating!

Hang him!

I am stepping down from my panel “Criminalise Crisp Eaters: Hanging’s Too Good for ‘Em”, at the Crisp Eating Appreciation Society Festival, scheduled for 3rd April, 2025.

I have made this decision based on the Crisp Eating Appreciation Society Festival’s platforming of pro-crisp campaigners, who will be holding two headlining events at the festival on 2nd April.

This decision was not taken lightly (salted). To my knowledge, I am one of just three out Misophonia-identified speakers invited to the CEASF, which has put me in a difficult position. Over the past month, I’ve felt a great deal of pressure to go in multiple directions: to stay and not allow myself to be “silenced,” to keep my head down and not ruffle feathers (of the crisp rustlers), and yes, to back out, either quietly or publicly. I’ve conferred with other Misophoniacs, crisp lovers, friends and family, and in the end I feel that stepping down from my panel is the only way forward, both for my personal safety, and my conscience.

I have deep feelings of regret and disappointment towards the leadership at the CEASF, which I would prefer not to air (fry) here. I will, however, quote something a very good friend said to me recently: “Freedom to avoid crisp eaters is not a zero-sum game.” Broadly speaking, calling for the oppression, indeed, the eradication of an entire class of human beings is not engaging in “academic” or “intellectual debate.” Asking me to stand under the same banner as people who accuse me and people like me of being mentally ill, crisp-phobic, or simply evil is not allowing for “both sides” to state their case in a “congenial atmosphere.” Not when one of those sides is saying, simply, “We exist, and have a right to live openly, honestly, and without fear for our ears and even lives,” and the other side’s response is, “Eat crisps, you C**T.”

It is a well-known fact that being made to listen to men eating crisps can caused serious, long-term hearing defects in 97.1.% of folx.

I can’t begin to express my gratitude to those who have also withdrawn in protest over the CEASF’s choice to prioritise hate-snacks over the safety of the Misophoniacs community, including speakers and attendees. I am also incredibly grateful to the people behind the scenes who have supported me in making this decision, and who have shown such courage and care for the beautiful, generous, resilient, and beloved crisp-sceptic community. Not everyone will agree that withdrawing is the right thing to do, but for my part, the alternative would have been unbearable. (TRIGGER WARNING) One of the speakers has been seen eating prawn cocktail flavour Walkers, and the other, salt & vinegar Discos.

It’s immensely disappointing to all of us who have stepped back that we won’t be able to take advantage of what should have been an opportunity to share our work, our love for silence and crunch-free train journeys, and hopefully to inspire others to read more, learn more, and feel more. To be more open, more human, and more gracious. That’s all anyone should want or expect from a crisp-related festival.

I sincerely hope that more CEASF invitees will join us in demanding a festival that is welcoming and safe for all lovers of crisp-free trains. I believe the CEASF can and should do better. This should have been a chance to celebrate peaceful train journeys, and I hope we all continue to do that in whatever way we can.

All my💙to my Misophoniac siblings.