A deeply heartfelt and courageous reflection on the challenges and urgencies of listening to oneself.

J. Logan Smilges's essay "Bad Listeners" argues that traditional ideas about "good listening" in feminist and rhetorical theory can exclude neurodivergent and disabled people. Smilges challenges the assumption that ethical, caring, or politically responsible people should always be able and willing to listen. This leads to an important reframing of "bad listening" as an issue of access.