Not About Me Without Me (Ep. 583)

stuttering, StutterTalkBob Quesal and Joe Klein join Peter Reitzes to respond to Joshua St. Pierre’s criticism of the National Stuttering Association (NSA). Pierre’s criticism stems, in part, from a StutterTalk interview with the NSA’s Chairman, Gerald Maguire, titled The Future of the National Stuttering Association. 

Bob, Joe and Peter discuss a number of topics including stuttering, acceptance, treatment, the search for a cure, eugenics, the role of the National Stuttering Association, Did I Stutter?, responses from people who stutter to Josh’s post and much more. In response to Josh’s post and to the work of Did I Stutter?, it is pointed out that the very folks preaching some version of “not about me without me” are perhaps in need of the very same reminder.

Robert Quesal, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is a professor emeritus of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Western Illinois University, a person who stutters, a fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and a retired Board Certified Specialist in Fluency and Fluency Disorders.

Joe Klein, Ph.D, CCC-SLP is a person who stutters and an assistant professor in Appalachian State University’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Links:

  • Barry Yeoman’s keynote address from the Past, Present and Future of Stuttering Conference (video/text)
  • Dean William’s A Point of View about Stuttering (abstract/partial view)
  • A Tribute to Dean Williams by Robert Quesal
  • The Construction of the Disabled Speaker: Locating Stuttering in Disability Studies by Joshua St. Pierrre (full text)
  • Stuttering, Activism, Disability, Ableism and Informed Consent (StutterTalk Ep. 483)
  • Honest Speech and Stuttering Hospitably (StutterTalk Ep. 488)