Feeling insecure about meeting new people due to voice

Hi

First off some back story I'm 21 year old male living in Australia. I was born 11 weeks premature, this resulted in having a breathing tube put down my throat which damaged my voice box and vocal chords. I can talk but it sounds like I have a really horse voice ( think Christian bales batman for reference )

I'm really not a shy person but when I'm meeting new people I am and it's because of my voice I guess, it feels like a 300kg (pound) elephant in the room when I meet new people. I prefer if people ask "Hey what's with your voice" then to say nothing but I know it's awkward for them because they probably don't want to upset me which really wouldn't be the case at all, if anything it would take so much weight off my shoulders. What else makes it difficult is when people talk to me like I'm made out of glass or talk at me instead of to me.

I'm really not sure on how to deal with this. You would think by 21 I would have this worked out but I don't and it's really bothering me and it's holding me back from meeting new people.

Any advice would be much appreciated thank you heaps.