Megan Washington has had enough of people making fun of her stutter. Posting on her official Facebook page, the celebrated Australian singer-songwriter made a rather curt public service announcement early yesterday.
“Hi world, may I offer”, begins Washington, “stuttering jokes are NOT FUNNY: if you think they are, you are old fashioned and not very smart. (If I get one more “t-t-t-today JUNIOR” I reckon I have carte blanche to whack you in the chops. Seriously it was 20 years ago. Get it together.)”
So far the post hasn’t attracted any of the unfounded backlash that plagues social media. Rather the reaction to Washington’s post has been rather warm. The singer has responded to only two comments in the thread below the line; one unbelieving user asked, “People actually say that to you?!” to which Washington bluntly answered, “Yep.”
Washington made headlines last year when she made public her difficulties with stuttering on an episode of the ABC’s Australian Story. Having a stutter since the age of 5, Washington built a career as a singer, songwriter and musician, conquering through any hint of a speaking impediment.
When Washington did have to appear in public – Spicks and Specks, for instance – she’d apply a technique to help smooth out her stuttering to make her speech appear unhindered.
Eventually, Washington found the courage to combat her stutter during the writing of her next album. Despite living in “mortal dread of public speaking”, her efforts to overcome her stutter culminated in her speaking at the 2014 Sydney TEDx.
That (non-musical) performance of Washington’s can be checked out below.
Watch: The Thing Is, I Stutter – Megan Washington, at TEDx Sydney 2014
Hi world, may I offer: stuttering jokes are NOT FUNNY: if you think they are, you are old fashioned and not very smart.... Posted by Megan Washington on Monday, 7 March 2016
