Can we talk about gender identity? Not transgender experience, just gender identity.

[MillieDynamite]

The tics, however, are normal for them. We all have our peculiarities, quirks, strange twists, and turnings, which make us, us!

Language defeats us again. Accepted in the sense their tics are recognised as being symptomatic of something outside of 'normal' rather than the tics being acceptable as normal behaviour.

 

[MillieDynamite]

No, I'm sure they aren't. But not having them isn't a simple fix. I suppose some might be able to be prescribed some kind of drug with whatever side effects that come with it. However, sometimes, side effects are worse than what you take the drug for. I wouldn't take many drugs that have the words "may cause death" listed in the side effects. Here's another way, "may reduce your ability to fight infections." There's no point in what I'm saying. I don't think they have any drugs that prevent the issues with Tourette, but since Tyler (tics and all) has moved on with his life to other parts of the country, I can't ask him.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Normal is a baggy word. It's not an issue of which I have much knowledge, but surely most are aware they have tics and while they might be resigned into accepting them, I doubt they are welcome.

Yeah. It's a start for others to realise that someone with a tic has a legit medical issue, but that doesn't help much if they're still repulsed by the tic.

Some occupational therapy can help amend a tic to something less obvious or off-putting, eg kid initially managed to rub his arms instead of his dick, then to stroke his hands over his cheeks rather than on his tongue. That got him to worry much less about whether he would tic, and after another couple years those tics had pretty much gone. New ones appear every time he gets stressed, but mostly just odd and not-unpleasant noises, so not really an issue.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

It reminds me of the way stone walls are sometimes built in Hawai'i:

Somebody could have taken those stones and cut them into neat little blocks of the same shape and size. Instead they took the time to think about where each stone might fit best and how those odd shapes could work with one another.

Or Yorkshire and surrounding counties. Dry stone walls are characteristic of the landscape - no mortar involved.

 

[AG31]

Thanks to @AlexBailey for his several comments aimed at explaining where he thought my OP over in Why is Rape Special was coming from. I appreciated them very much and was reminded if his novel A T-Girl and a Tomboy. It's about another kind of human experience about which I had no understanding or feel. But I did after I read the novel. When people are willing to take questions seriously, and share their own experiences, it can work! Thanks, yet again, to Alex. (See my comment after Part 1).

 

[AlexBailey]

Thanks @AG31

I was comfortable saying what I said because I see you as genuine in your communication and honest with yourself and others while looking for a better understanding of what makes humans tick. I felt certain that you wouldn’t mind.

I’ve learned about myself from considering your perspectives, many of which are very different from my own, and I sincerely appreciate your input.