I love it when people lean in too! Growing up, I've come across some people who would completely end a conversation with me once they realized they would struggle just to hear me and others who would just ignore me and speak to me through a nearby friend. It was such a recurring problem that my friends would sometimes speak for me from the get-go, but some people were insistent on hearing my own voice. I don't know, it just makes me feel like they really cared about my opinions.

Thank you for making this thread; it really made me smile after reading your personal experiences, and remembering my own.