Another form of representation of stuttering in film

‘Stuttering is frequently used as visual shorthand to communicate humor, nervousness, weakness, or unheroic/villainous characters.’ - The Visualization of the Twisted Tongue: Portrayalsof Stuttering in Film, Television, and Comic Books by Jeffrey K. Johnson

The majority of mainstream media portrays stuttering as a sign of a weak character; someone whose inability to speak fluently is viewed as a flaw in their character. A person who stutters is rarely the hero in films; instead, they are frequently the friend, as in A Fish Called Wanda, or the villain, as in Professor Quirrell in Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone.
(See my article on stuttering in To All the Boys I've ever loved here)

One of the reasons for this is that many people already associate people who stutter with anxiety, insecurity, and timidity, therefore if the writers of a film produce a character with a stutter, they do not need to explain why this character is more vulnerable and less of a hero. It is already assumed that because they stutter they are nervous, anxious and ‘weak’.

Edited photo by Alamy
Bill is played by Jaedne Martell 

However, one character who I believe is displayed as well-rounded and as someone who is held in high-regard is Bill from It, a movie adapted from Stephen King’s novel IT and directed by Andrés Muschietti, whose stutter developed after he was hit by a car at the age of three. In this movie, because of his bravery and his ‘instinct to unite his friends in turmoil’, Billy is described as the leader of his group of friends, who call themselves the Losers' club. He is also a talented writer, which makes me wonder if the reason for this is because he stutters, as some people who stutter tend to use writing as a tool to express themselves when they feel they cannot do so verbally.
(Me, I'm some people) 

Throughout the movie, there are numerous scenes where Bill can be seen stuttering, and even though there are a few moments where he is mocked or bullied by Henry Bowers, the majority of the time his friends give him the time he needs to get his words out and there is no comment on how he speaks. Similar to the majority of people who stutter, it is said that Bill's stutter noticeably gets worse when he is upset, angry, or afraid. This is emphasised in the sequel to IT; It Chapter Two, which is directed by Andy Muschietti, when Bill's stutter returns as he is faced with the prospect of killing Pennywise once and for all, despite the fact that he appeared to have overcome his stutter through speech therapy.

Bill is a character whose stutter is simply a part of him, something which is not seen very often in the media. Granted, some people judge him for it, but he is also accepted by his friends, and he does not let his stutter stop him from living his life. He is able to defend himself and at the end of the movie leads his companions into battle against a monstrous creature.

Photo by Nathan J Hilton from Pexels

However, one scene in this film that still advocates for fluency is when Bill gives a speech to his friends before entering an abandoned house to confront Pennywise. In his speech, which lasts about a minute,Bill does not stutter once. When he's finished, his friend Richie remarks that Bill didn't stutter, implying that Bill's stuttering has vanished as a symbol of a symbolic change within him and he is now stronger because he is more fluent.

On the whole, I feel that the portrayal of Bill’s stutter is one of the more respectable and accepting representations of stuttering. One that I feel should continue throughout mainstream media.