As Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) dedicated to supporting individuals with communication differences and disorders, including those who stutter, we find ourselves profoundly troubled by the former President's recent public mockery of stuttering. Such actions not only humiliate individuals with speech differences but also propagate the harmful notion that these unique voices do not have a place in our society.

We are discouraged by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's (ASHA) silence on this issue. Their lack of public response compels us to raise our voices in concern.

According to The Stuttering Foundation, 1% of adults stutter worldwide. This figure represents a vast community of people from all walks of life who often face discrimination simply for how they speak. Public figures should lead the effort to dismantle, not reinforce, stigma associated with stuttering.

Many in our field stutter themselves and know firsthand the pain of intolerance and impatience. We stand together in solidarity, SLPs who stutter and don’t stutter alike, rejecting any suggestion, explicit or implicit, that stuttered voices and communication differences/disorders are less deserving of credibility.

Join us in demanding change, starting with the highest level of leadership, including a clear stance from ASHA. We advocate for respect for all forms of communication and insist on empathy, not mockery, from our leaders. Sign this petition to make a difference.