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From: Beata Akerman
Date: 10 Oct 2011
Time: 04:55:41 -0500
Remote Name: 46.122.126.129
Hello, thank you for your comment. I think that's a problem all around the world, not only in Slovenia. What bothers me is the representation of PWS in the media. I could talk about this topic for hours, because I finished postgraduate studies in social work where my main area of interest was representation of people who stutter in the media. I can get really upset about this. Just look who stutters in the movies? Bad guys, prisoners, people locked up in mental hospital, killers, rapeists. Did you ever seen a movie Paulie? There is one cute girl with severe stuttering problem, but as years went by and she grew up to a beautiful young lady, her speech impediment disappeares (in some movies where a man stutters, his speech impediment disappears after a great sexual intercourse or kiss, admitting mistakes he made in the past and becoming a better person). I also read one children's book where at the beginning appears one lady with speech impedimet – she is homeless, has drinking problem, wears big glasses, has no teeth, she is overweight and has a bad smell. And of course she stutters. The most common answer when I say to the people that M. Monroe stuttered is: »No, she couldn't stutter, she was beautiful!« And so many times I can hear: »Do you stutter? How could that be, you look normal.« I hope I answered to your question. With best wishes, Beata Akerman