The study investigated former covertly stuttering people within a qualitative research paradigm. Open-ended, ethnographic interviews were carried out with six adults who identified themselves as people who stutter and also who, for some time in their lives, covertly stuttered. The six participants shared their experiences of covert stuttering and their process of coming to terms with overt stuttering with three whose experiences related strongly with workplace issues. Emerging themes dealt with why some people maintain their covertness in the workplace, i.e., saving face and maintaining one’s professional reputation. In contrast, the interviews elucidated why and how individuals with covert stuttering, through workplace penalties, can come to realize that hiding one’s stuttering is unproductive. Considering parallels with other marginalized populations, recommendations for future directions in covert stuttering research are presented
