Profiles

Stuttering is Cool

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="150"] Photo Credit: Eva Blue[/caption] Thank you for taking a minute to read my guest post.

About Me

My Name is Daniele Rossi, I’m a web designer, illustrator and social media enthusiast. I stuttered since I was a kid and try never to let it hold me back. To encourage my fellow stutterers I produce a podcast called Stuttering is Cool. It’s all about accepting your speech impediment and stuttering with confidence. Along with talking about my experiences growing up stuttering, I encourage my audience to share their stories by coming onto my show or emailing me a recording which I play “on the air”. In turn, other stutterers hear us and we all feel less alone in our stuttering.

Less alone in our stuttering?

Yes, it tends to be really rare to meet other stutterers in your geographical area. That’s the other reason why I started my podcast back in 2007. The Internet and social media make it a lot easier to meet, interact and share knowledge with people who share your interests. Social media is also a great platform for mentoring. Stuttering is a misunderstood phenomenon. Friends and family members usually can’t relate (unless, of course, if they themselves stutter). Heck, even speech therapists don’t fully understand stuttering! Stuttering is isolating. Stutterers get bullied, skipped over in school and sometimes mislabeled and put in special education classes. It sucks even further if you let stuttering control your life. Unfortunately, with all the social punishment and embarrassing moments which come with stuttering, it's quite difficult to not let it take control. In many ways, I grew up alone in my stuttering.  So I tried to beat my stuttering by using little tricks. These are referred to as avoidances. Like, say, if you tend to stutter on the name of the city where you live, you won’t say it’s actual name. It makes for really embarrassing experiences for those of us who stutter on our own names.

Banding Together

At first I was alone in my stuttering, but not anymore. And you don’t have to be alone thanks to the affordability and the ubiquity of the Internet, hardware (such as webcams), computers and popular (sometimes free) software which require little-to-no technical knowledge. Stutterers can form friendships with other stutterers beyond their geographical area. And speak to and see them online. It’s a great way to find other stutterers in your geographical area, too. And what an awesome experience it is when stutterers meet each other. An instant bond forms as you share common experiences. Suddenly, you’re not alone in your stuttering anymore. And it’s beginning to suck a little less.

The Podcast

My podcast is still going strong in 2011. And I’ve learned so much. Stuttering affects people no matter what ethnic origin or social status. Speaking of which, despite what The King’s Speech may imply, stuttering is definitely not a psychological issue. It’s neurological.   I’ve interviewed people from all walks of life and many in high paying professions like lawyers, CEOs and small business owners. People can live fulfilled, successful lives in spite of their stuttering.

Using Social Media

I also interact with my audience through my Twitter account and Facebook page for Stuttering is Cool. I enjoy that part the most because it lets me witness my fellow stutterers grow from shy, covert stutterers to people who fully accept their speech impediment and stutter with confidence. Myself included! I now regularly attend Toastmasters and give presentations in the Canadian podcasting community. And it all started from interacting with people who share this same, rare experience online. No matter which social media tool you use - podcasting, video, Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, or the latest iPhone app - they all have one characteristic in common. They are all a form of communication. Just like talking on the phone, writing an old fashioned letter, or sending a telegram. When you engage in social media, you are interacting with other human beings on the other side of your computer. Social media is not a fad. I started Stuttering is Cool because I had a void that needed filling. I needed to meet other stutterers and help fill their own voids. In doing so, my void was filled. I met other stutterers, I learned a heck of a lot and became even more accepting of my stuttering. If you stutter, I would love to hear from you! You can find information on how to participate at stutteringiscool.com.