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Calling Out a Stutter-Denialist I recently dealt with someone who denied my stutter was real. He asked me to talk until I stuttered. I did, and he accused me of faking it. I pointed to his glasses and said, “Your eyes look fine to me. Take those off—you don’t need them.” Then I added, “Just because you can’t see my stutter doesn’t mean it isn’t real. It’s a hidden disability, like poor eyesight.” When I explained that stuttering can make basic communication a challenge, he dismissed it entirely, saying, “It’s not a disability. Do you want SSI for it?” I said no, but the more I think about it, the more I feel like it should qualify. It wasn’t about SSI; it was about him refusing to acknowledge a real challenge I face. Even after all that, he still said, “It’s not a disability.” At that point, I gave up. Hidden disabilities deserve respect, not denial or dismissal. Ignorance like this only makes life harder for people who already face enough challenges. I guess I just wanna say to the void that hidden disabilities are real. The gaslighting used to unnerve me, but I’m finally biting back now. It’s happened with a few people now.