About the Author: Cynthia Dacillo is a speech therapist from Peru. She became passionate about stuttering in 2015 when she finished a stuttering specialization.  She has a master’s degree in Neuroscience and Education and just completed her MSc in Psychology at Leeds Trinity University in the UK.  She is a board member of The World Stuttering Network and co-hosts the Spanish podcast “Historias de Tartamudez” (Stuttering Stories). She is co-director of the Specialized Center for Stuttering and co-hosts the center´s podcast.  Cynthia works with children, teenagers and adults who stutter and their families.  She has a YouTube channel inviting people from different countries to talk about stuttering.  Cynthia enjoys running, walking, doing yoga and listening to podcasts! And one more thing! Last September 2023 Cynthia ran in the largest half marathon in the world, the Great North Run (in the UK), with a Stuttering Pride Flag!

It is common to see how many things in the world are created for men.  Big cell phones that only fit in men’s jeans, and women must keep them in their handbags or jackets.  Piano keyboards are made for men’s hands, not women’s, causing injuries in female musicians. Women’s toilets usually have very long queues because they are not adapted to women’s needs. And there is an endless list!

I did not think about those things until I read about gender differences in a fascinating book called “Invisible Women” by a Brazilian-British woman, Caroline Criado-Perez (2019). The author has a chapter called “One-Size-Fits-Men”, and I thought it was perfect for this year’s theme. 

As the final assignment for my MSc degree in Psychology, I wanted to choose a non-well-explored topic, and women who stutter got my attention, so I started researching…  While reading, I became more aware and upset about how things work for men better than for women. I even felt more vulnerable, knowing how different it can be for a woman to face day-to-day situations. I became more aware of words such as equality and equity. To clarify, equality means to give everyone the same regardless of differences, and equity means to provide what people need to succeed, considering their characteristics. Equity makes more sense because women have different minds, bodies, roles, ways of thinking, looking for solutions, connecting with others, and ways to feel and see the world.  Equity is a dream and is not happening (yet). Most of the time, women must speak out loud to be heard and fight for a job opportunity just because they are women and may be less qualified, less competent, and less capable. This is absurd! 

It is not news that there are fewer women who stutter than men who stutter unless that is what research tells us.  However, research also indicates that many women can easily conceal stuttering by avoiding and not participating in conversations (Kelso, 2002). This concealment may prevent them from being identified as someone who stutters to follow societal norms or stereotypes that pressure them or expect them to communicate in a certain way.  Criado-Perez (2019) affirmed that the lives of men often represent those of humans overall (which is not fair!). Besides, for too long, women had been considered a deviation (deviation? That is an offense!) from standard humanity, leading to becoming, in a sense, invisible. 

Moreover, there is a gap in the literature regarding women and more if there are intersectionalities: women of color, disabled women and working-class women.  Likewise, Dean and Medina (2021) indicated that identities such as race, ethnicity and gender can affect a person’s experiences differently.  Experiences of women who stutter are overlooked (Samson, 2021), and it is relevant to consider gender differences when studying, researching and interacting with women who stutter. According to Nang et al. (2018) and Samson (2022), women who stutter may be disadvantaged and have a dual bias due to stuttering and gender differences.

There is research about women who stutter, but few, which calls for researchers, because the more we know, the more we understand, and the more we understand, the more we can make changes. After my research, I affirm that women who stutter are willing to share their experiences and tell the world what it is like to be a woman, and a woman who stutters with unique experiences. I want to thank all the women who participated in my study and inspired me to write this article.  Women who stutter are a minority within a minority (Graham-Bethea & Mayo, 2012), and their stories must be listened to and valued because there is power, beauty, courage, strength, and so much to learn from their journeys. Finally, I know many people dislike being told what they should do or how they should feel, but I would like to share a few more words… 

*To everyone
– Your journey is unique.
– Be kind to yourself. 

*If you are a therapist:
– There are differences between men and women who stutter, so an individualized approach might be considered. 

*If you are a man who stutters or does not stutter:
– Understand it is a different experience for a woman.
– Never underestimate women´s experiences. 

*If you are a parent of a little girl who stutters:
– Everything will be okay.
– Your child is brave and intelligent and will succeed.
– Give your child love, be compassionate, listen and value what they say.  

*If you are a woman who stutters (with sincerity, love and appreciation):
– It is okay to feel different; your experience differs from a man who stutters or a woman who does not stutter.
– You are worthy, radiant, beautiful and strong in many ways.
– Meet other women who stutter because they get it!
– Your journey is challenging… You´ve got this! 

References

Criado-Perez, C. (2019). Invisible women: Exposing data bias in a world designed for men. Chatto & Windus.

Dean, L., & Medina, A. M. (2021). Stigma and the Hispanic stuttering experience: A qualitative study. Journal of Communication Disorders, 89, 106056–106056. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcomdis.2020.106056

Graham-Bethea, J., & Mayo, R. (2012). A minority within a minority. The ASHA leader, 17(2), 20- 21 https://doi.org/10.1044/leader.FMP.17022012.20

Nang, C., Hersh, D., Milton, K., & Lau, S. R. (2018). The Impact of Stuttering on Development of Self-Identity, Relationships, and Quality of Life in Women Who Stutter. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 27(3S), 1244– 1258. https://doi.org/10.1044/2018_AJSLP-ODC11-17-0201

Samson, I. (2021, December 14th). Do girls and women cope with stammering differently to boys and men?. STAMMA. https://stamma.org/news-features/do- girls-women-cope-stammering-differently-boys-men

Samson, I. (2022). Stuttering In Young Females and Males (Doctoral dissertation, Karolinska Institutet (Sweden). Proquest. https://www.proquest.com/openview/c5b561c269e41c1cccc2aaf4a3afe317/1