Growing up in Nigeria, I was a very chatty child. But everything changed before the age of 10 when I became aware of my speech. I began to stutter a lot, which made me increasingly reserved because every time I spoke, my classmates would laugh. My parents never really addressed it—perhaps they thought it was something I’d outgrow. 

As far as I can remember, I’ve stuttered. I think that I know why, but let’s put a pin in that and we’ll come back to it later. I don’t know if I stuttered from birth or not. My father stuttered, so it could be genetic. 

Duty to Accommodate, Reasonable Accommodation, Undue Hardship and Bona Fide Occupational Requirements

In this Article, I examine considerations around stuttering as a disability and discrimination. 

Is stuttering a disability? 

Good question. I take the position that it is.  

You may have heard or been told that stuttering is (or perhaps) is not a disability, especially in the context of someone “overcoming” or “conquering” their stutter. Some may consider that a stutter must be severe to be considered a disability, or your stutter is not severe enough.  

I met Peter Holleley fourteen years ago, when running a Toastmasters Group for People who Stutter in Toronto. In his early 60s, he was older than most people attending the group. He liked to talk, as a lot of people who stutter do. We heard about his childhood growing up in Britain, his Ten Month Great Adventure hitchhiking as a young man in North, Central and South America, his business ventures, and his three children. Given his age, I was surprised to find out that two of his children, a son and a daughter, of whom he was a single father, were still in their pre-teen years.

This is a controversial question, there is no right or wrong answer. It is a matter of personal preference and risk tolerance. Personally, I have always disclosed my stutter on job applications. In instances where an employer sought candidates from employment equity groups, disclosing my stutter assisted me to receive an interview, or  progress in the recruitment process or competition.

Mathew Yaworski, Employment Advocacy Coordinator for the Canadian Stuttering Association, shares his advice on determining the inclusivity of potential employers in Canada.

I am a Person Who Stutters (PWS). Are there employers who are better than others at recruiting and supporting people like me?

When Dimitri was a young boy growing up, his stutter prevented him from getting a word into many conversations. He would grunt with frustration and make a fist with his hand anytime his stutter would cut off his sentences. The words were on his mind, but nothing would come out of his mouth except for a stammer. His parents tried many solutions to help their son – taking him to speech therapy, speech exercises – you name it. The tactics didn't help, and the family, who loved their son deeply and only wanted the best for him, had to accept that Dimitri would have to live with his stutter.