A Global Love Letter to the TV & Film Industry

STAMMA, The British Stammering Association, is urging broadcasters, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV and the BBC, to include people who stammer on the small and silver screen in a love letter on social media, supported by organisations around the world representing those who stammer. 

They hope to reach one million signatures by International Stammering Awareness Day on 22^nd October 2022. According to the latest polling undertaken by STAMMA, 2% of the population stammer.*

CEO of STAMMA, Jane Powell said “People who stammer can go through life without knowing anyone else who stammers. Seeing only negative portrayals on screen and inappropriate public responses leave many feeling they should hide the way they speak. The film and television industry can transform this experience and help show the world that stammering is just how some people talk.”

People who stammer have joined in the campaign with their own love letter videos, here's Ronan, , Kirsten  and Jack. 

VALENTINE’S DAY LOVE LETTER

Dear members of the TV & film industry,

We love you.  We love how your films and shows make us laugh, cry, and how they have the power to educate and inspire. But we don’t see us on screen, people who stammer, unless we are cast as the villain or fool or interviewed about how we’ve learnt to talk ‘properly’.   

Stammering, or stuttering, is just how we talk. It affects around 8% of children. Most will go on to talk fluently, but not all, leaving around 2% of adults who stammer. We aren’t drunk, dishonest, nervous or weak. It’s just how we talk. We are writers, actors, politicians, artists, tradespeople, engineers – and often great communicators. Don’t make our difference invisible. 

According to a 2021 UK YouGov poll, of the 6,000 people asked, 2% said they stammer. This would equate to over 100 million worldwide.  Yet representation of those who stammer on television and film is negligible and often reinforces damaging stereotypes.

You have the power to help us create a world where stammering is visible and accepted; where those who stammer can feel at ease with how they talk.  

Stammering is normal.  Include us in your world - whether in the script room, as runners or in front of the camera.  Our voices need to be heard. We’re just like you, we just talk differently.

If you support us, then go to https://notjustoneday.com, find your local petition, and sign and share. Or just put us on the bloody TV.

Signed by

Shiran Israel Ambi, Stuttering Association Israel
Audrey Bigras Association Bégaiement Communication, Canada
Eeva Stierwalt Canadian Stuttering Association
Angélica Bernabé Centro Especializado en Tartamudez, Peru
Ana Karina Espinoza Fluir + Communicate Sonrie Fluye, Chile
Soledad Castro Fundación Chilena de la Tartamudez, Chile
Jhoan Gallego Fundación Colombiana de la Tartamudez, Colombia
Emmanuel K. Addo Ghana Stammering Association, Ghana
Tammy Flores National Stuttering Association, USA
Jon-Øivind Finbråten Norsk Interesseforening for Stamming, Norway
Rich Stephens SAY, Australia
Puneet Singh ssstart, India
Jane Powell STAMMA, UK
Tom Scharstein World Stuttering Network

You can find the petitions at:

Australia, Canada (CSA), Canada (ABC), Chile, Peru, Columbia, Ghana, India, Israel, Norway, UK and the USA.

*We have been working with YouGov over last 4 years on those who identify as having a stammer.  Read the full article here. Based on a world population of 7,900,000,000 with an estimated 28% aged under 18, this would leave 5,688,000,000 adults. 2% of adults would equate to 113,760,000 adults worldwide who stammer.