In mainstream media, stuttering is often comical or a symptom in people who are overly vulnerable and nervous. But the condition doesn’t stem at all from nerves or anxiety … and instead of a source of shame, it can be seen as a form of neurodiversity.
Host Anita Rao talks about the science behind stuttering with Dr. Derek Daniels, a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist. Dr. Daniels is also a person who stutters and an associate professor in the department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Wayne State University. He talks with Anita about his research and personal experience regarding stuttering in African American and LGBTQ communities.
Anita also talks with Jia Bin, who grew up in China surrounded by cultural fear and shame around stuttering. Jia is now a doctoral student at Michigan State University studying speech-language pathology and breaking down barriers for Chinese stutterers.
Also joining the conversation is Nina G, a comedian and the author of “Stutterer, Interrupted: The Comedian Who Almost Didn’t Happen.” Nina talks to Anita about changing the narrative so that stuttering isn’t the butt of the joke — people who don’t understand it are.
Special thanks to Courtland and Matice for their contributions to this show!
Find resources for people who stutter and allies at the National Stuttering Association.
Please note: This episode originally aired March 31, 2023.
Updates: You can learn more about Jia’s work at the Spartan Stuttering Lab here. You can learn more about National Stuttering Awareness Week here. Nina G is in the midst of the making the comedy docu-special: Comedians with Disabilities Act: Going Beyond The Punchlines.
