In my Twitter profile, I define myself as “Writer, engineer, stutterer, male and feminist”. There are people who are surprised and ask me why I chose these particular qualifications. The first two are my professions, writer and engineer, while the last two symbolize my struggle for equality, indicating that one can be a man and a feminist, that is, strive for equal rights and opportunities for men and women. The adjective in the middle, stuttering, perhaps attracts the most attention. I think I’ve always stuttered. At first it was something normal that I didn’t care about, it was my particular way of speaking. From the age of ten I started to become aware that it could be a problem. And it became a problem. Like most stutterers, I have no physical barrier to speaking correctly, in fact I never stutter when I’m alone. Stuttering is an automatic reflex that affects the mechanism of speech by blocking breathing and the muscles of the larynx, an involuntary reflex triggered by fear or nerves. Afraid of what? Just by talking. It is the whiting that bites the tail. It is precisely the fear of stuttering that causes stuttering. Maybe that’s why (besides the fact that I’ve always loved making up stories) I became a writer. I thought a writer was dedicated to writing, but after publishing our first novel I discovered that a writer is also committed to public speaking, and a lot. The promotion of a book is a fundamental part of the publishing process and includes participation in book launches, reading clubs, novel festivals, media interviews, debates, conferences, etc. In the end, writing the novel is almost the least important. There are very effective treatments for stuttering, especially when used in childhood. My son also stuttered and after undergoing therapy he now speaks perfectly. In my case and in the case of other adults, it’s something that’s already so ingrained that it’s very difficult (although not impossible) to overcome. As they say at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, the first step to overcoming a problem is admitting you have it. That’s why I believe acceptance is the first step to overcoming. That acceptance that helps us see stuttering as normal, to lose shame and end the anxiety and nerves that grip us every time we face oral expression.
Source: La Verdad
I am George Kunkel, an author working for Today Times Live. I specialize in opinion pieces and cover stories that are both informative and thought-provoking – helping to shape public discourse on key issues. My work is regularly featured across the network’s many platforms, including print media and social media.
