commentr/StutterMay 31, 2020

Content

I’m sorry that happened to you, I hope you’re doing alright :))) I was 12 when this happened, but it still sticks with me at 20. I went to catholic school and my speech therapist would encourage me to read at mass if I felt like I could do it. It wasn’t necessarily to practice not stuttering, but more about be able to do public speaking even if I stuttered. I don’t remember exactly what I was reading, but I know I stuttered pretty hard. I remember just hearing one grown woman in the congregation laughing at me. It was absolutely awful for me. At the time I had trouble not crying if I stuttered during any kind of public speaking. It took everything I had not to start bawling and get through what was left of the reading. I got off the podium and went to my seat, but It was bad for me afterwards. I don’t think I talked much for a while after that. My friends tried to cheer me up and they told they were proud of me for doing it, which honestly helped a lot. It’s really shitty that most of my awful stuttering stories from when I was kid are from adults mocking me or making me feel bad.

Themes

Emotional ExperienceIdentity & DisabilityCommunity & Support

Subthemes

Shame & EmbarrassmentStigma & BullyingValidation & Empathy

Codes (1)

public_speaking