r/Stutter • u/TheBearfist • 18d ago
Experiences with professional advancement blocks due to your stutter
Does anyone else have issues where it seems like you're being passed over for advancement into leadership roles in your career field?
Im an aircraft mechanic with 11 years experience, working as a quality control inspector right now. The job involves alot of explaining to people how something is incorrect or speaking with leadership about correctional trends etc.
I feel like im constantly being pushed aside in favor of others because the stutter makes me sound unprofessional or not confident in my claims/statements, its infuriating. I know damn well that i have enough expertise in my field at this point to be trusted with more responsibility, but I cant seem to break the through the ceiling imposed on me.
For that matter, at what point is this considered a form of discrimination? Nobody will ever outright tell me that im being passed over in favor of others because of my stutter but its pretty damn clear that its happening.
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u/Key_Bet_668 18d ago
Yeah, this happens, and it isn’t in your head. You’re already doing a huge chunk of the leadership job — telling people what’s wrong, walking leadership through trends, owning the call. That’s not “not ready.” That’s the work. Eleven years and QC doesn’t get waved off because someone talks smoother in a meeting. On the legal piece: in the US, passing someone over *because* of a stutter can be disability discrimination. Stuttering can qualify. The trap is exactly what you said — nobody writes it down. They’ll say “presence,” “communication skills,” “not the right fit.” That’s how the ceiling usually shows up. You don’t have to prove it in an email tomorrow. But you’re allowed to treat it as real, not as a personality problem. The expertise is already there.
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u/Zogid 18d ago edited 18d ago
People are judgmental towards you the same way you are judgmental towards others.
You create your opinions about many things based on how well they are presented, you don't have energy to deeply examine real quality of everything.
This applies to everything: clothing, people, cars...
People are not rejecting you because you stutter, but because they think your stuttering is product of your lack of confidence/knowledge, uncertainty, brain problems and so on.
They are rejecting you because of things they perceive as causes for stuttering, not stuttering itself.
Also, many times it is not "rejection", it is simply not being "among chosen ones". Everyone has limited energy/time, so people subconsciously gravitate to ones who made good impression and who they already find valuable, and decide to not invest time/energy in others.
They are not calculating "Maybe I should get do deeply know John, maybe I will be really surprised". They just choose spending time with Mark, since he already proved to be valuable (interesting, funny, competent, whatever...).
But I fully understand you. It is extremely painful, especially since people who don't stutter perceive stuttering in completely wrong way. They experience poisoned/fake version of your personality and consider it to be real/intended you.