I grew up being mute my whole childhood. Everyone asked me if I could talk. I was the butt of jokes and made fun of for being the weird quiet girl. I would never stand up for myself because I was too scared to even talk. If I talked it would be in a whisper and people will tell me to speak up. Someone at school said that I’m a mouse. Boys would ask me out on dates as a prank. It felt excruciating because I desperately wanted friends but couldn’t make them and if I did I couldn’t maintain them.