Making room for words: people who stutter on the Internet

Abstract

We examined one month of listserv postings written by individuals who stutter and asked in what ways does the Internet provide a forum for collectivity, advocacy and (re)constructing selves among people who stutter; and in what ways do people who stutter contend with disability and stigma through Internet discourse. We used biographical, discursive and thematic strategies to interpret the threads of conversation dealing specifically with the self and stuttering. On the listserv, people who stutter meet to fluently communicate through writing. They share their feelings, thoughts and behaviours and (re)negotiate what it means to be a person who stutters. They reveal fluid and multiple selves and build a multifaceted understanding that challenges the stigma attached to people with disability. These are not passive individuals experiencing disability and stigma but active participants collectively confronting the important issues they face as people who stutter. The Internet listserv is a potential site for personal and social change.