Press release -
Stuttering Organisations Across the Globe Unite to Congratulate Joe Biden
Organisations representing those who stammer, or stutter, around the world have come together to congratulate Joe Biden on his inauguration. The first President of the United States of America to have a stammer.
Twenty nine national and international organisations signed a letter of congratulations, with the words “your achievement stands testament to the fact that having a stutter is no reflection upon brains or talent. This is an empowering message for young people who stutter here, and in every continent around the world”.
The letter ends “You stutter, we stutter, it’s how we talk”.
CEO of Stamma Jane Powell said, “It is time to take the negativity out of having a stammer. It is just how some people talk, it doesn’t reflect talent, ambition or skill. What’s important isn’t how someone says something, but what they say. President Joe Biden, welcome and congratulations on behalf of Stamma”.
Signatories hope that Biden’s position will help the media and the public have a more positive and insightful understanding about what it means to stutter. Stuttering is no reflection on talent and should be no bar to ambition, it is just how some people talk.
Signatory organisations come from: Australia, Austria, Botswana, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Germany, Ghana, Iceland, India, Ireland, Japan, Kosovo, Lithuania, Nepal, Netherlands, Pakistan, Peru, Russia, South Africa, Switzerland, Togo, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Zambia.
FULL TEXT OF THE LETTER:
Dear Mr President
Warm congratulations on your inauguration today from the stuttering community from across the globe.
As someone with a stutter, your achievement stands testament to the fact that having a stutter is no reflection upon brains or talent. This is an empowering message for young people who stutter here, and in every continent around the world, and a powerful message to all those who don’t stammer. Stammering should be no bar to success.
You stutter. We stutter. It’s how we talk.
Signed by:-
| International Stuttering Association | |
| Asian Association for stuttering Organizations (AASO) | Asia |
| Australian Speak Easy Association | Australia |
| Oesterreichische Selbsthilfe-Initiative Stottern | Austria |
| Botswana Stuttering Association | Botswana |
| Bulgarian Stuttering Association | Bulgaria |
| Canadian Stuttering Association | Canada |
| Foreningen for Stammere i Danmark | Denmark |
| The Dominican Stuttering Foundation | Dominican Republic |
| Bundesvereinigung Stottern und Selbsthilfe e.V | Germany |
| Ghana Stammering Association | Ghana |
| Malbjorg | Iceland |
| The Indian Stammering Association | India |
| Irish Stammering Association | Ireland |
| Japan Stuttering Genyukai Association | Japan |
| Shoqata Kosovare per Belbezim | Kosovo |
| Lithuanian Stuttering Problem Club | Lithuania |
| Nepal Stutters Association | Nepal |
| Nederlands Stottervereniging ‘Demosthenes’ | Netherlands |
| Canadian Stuttering Association | Canada |
| Habla Libre Peruvian Association | Peru |
| Speakeasy Stuttering Association of South Africa | South Africa |
| VERSTA | Switzerland |
| Youth Action for Mutual Aid and fight against Stuttering | Togo |
| Stamma 50 Million Voices | United Kingdom |
| National Stuttering Association Friends | United States |
| Stuttering Association of Zambia | Zambia |
| Pakistan Stammering Foundation SAY Global Foundation | Pakistan |
| Russian Stuttering Association | Russia |
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Research suggests that 8% of people will stammer at some point in their lives with up to 3% of UK adults describing themselves as currently having a stammer. The British Stammering Association seeks to create a society where people who stammer can fulfill their potential and enjoy respect and consideration. The charity offers support, information, advice and resources to those who stammer and their families as well as educators, employers and speech and language therapists. Founded in 1978, The British Stammering Association began trading as Stamma in 2019. For more information visit Stamma.org. Registered Charity Numbers 1089967 / SC038866.
