What Makes You Different?

Discuss the November 2016 Book of the Month, Roan: The Tales Of Conor Archer by E. R. Barr.
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April B
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Re: What Makes You Different?

Post by April B »

I think people are certainly more forgiving and kind once they are aware of a person's disability. But if you look normal but then do something abnormal, my experience is that they generally assume the worst before taking a moment to analyze the situation.

For example, my mother suffered a massive stroke at age 50 approximately 15 years ago. Fortunately, she made a miraculous recovery through a lot of hard work on her part. Today she appears perfectly fine just by looking at her. However, she has several long lasting effects that aren't obvious at first glance. One of these is her loss of about half of her field of vision on her right side. So when walking through a large store, like say Walmart, sometimes she accidentally bumps into people on her right with her cart. Just a tap, nothing hard.

You would be amazed at the nasty comments and looks she gets! As soon as she or I apologize for it and explain that she is blind on that side, it's like the old Bugs Bunny cartoons in that I swear I can actually see their heads transform into a jackass, haha! I'm afraid we still have some ways to go in the area of total acceptance, but at least people have the decency to be embarrassed most of the time so maybe we'll get there yet!
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jessejaiden94
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Post by jessejaiden94 »

I am someone who doesn't conform to any gender normativities. I am not a boy or a girl. Having nowhere to fit can be very hard sometimes.

It particularly shows in my appearance. I am quite obviously not fitting into any one category and people don't know what to do with that information. I get really bad feelings from a lot of people just based on how I look when if they would come and talk to me I know they would like me.

I'm lucky enough to be living in a town that is generally very accepting of gender non-conforming people and I'm learning that it's not such a lonely world.
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Dr frankenstein
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Post by Dr frankenstein »

I do really understand how he feels. When I was growing up I looked like a girl and every time someone sees me and asks me my sex I feel so bad. It has reduced in recent times but I still feel self conscious
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Post by rossalfred »

That's a in contact with tale - suitable for you and thank you for sharing; I'm sure we can all gain knowledge from that!
Personally, I think I was lucky enough to develop up in a community where individuals are usually recognizing and type. That's not to say that violence did not are available, though, and to be sincere I have been on both sides, but I do think I've many userful stuff here since then.
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Ellen_
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Post by Ellen_ »

I have a learning disability. It caused me to get severely bullied when I was in middle school. I had to change schools to get away from it. I've since overcome my disability and am much more confident
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alwaysdaddygirl
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Post by alwaysdaddygirl »

I love your review! I read the sample only. It was taking a walk in the past. I know it stupid. Again, thanks for the warm review.

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carol_klavon
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Post by carol_klavon »

I have always had a different way of looking at the world than other children. I was excessively hyperactive, but at the same time I was often more observant of certain things than other children my age. :techie-studyingbrown:
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Post by greenstripedgiraffe »

carol_klavon wrote:I have always had a different way of looking at the world than other children. I was excessively hyperactive, but at the same time I was often more observant of certain things than other children my age. :techie-studyingbrown:
You sound like one of my daughters! She is amazing - I bet you are also.
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Post by Violalover »

I'm new on this site and enjoyed it so far. This post caught my attention and reminded me of my past. In high school I realized that normal didn't exist . If we are normal we are weird and being weird is kind of normal. It doesn't make sense but it is life and life is full of unpredictable weirdness. How we express or don't express it makes us different regardless of ability or disability. So because of this thought I could care less of what others thought of me because I was being myself and enjoyed it. Being picked on (I was considered a nerd but loved it) didn't bother me. I am African-American and according to others I didn't act like it in school. I didn't and still don't believe in 'acting' like a certain group. I believe in being me and being me rocks! That's what makes me different.
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Post by Sindhu Srinath »

LivreAmour217 wrote:I've mentioned in other posts that I have Asperger's Syndrome, along with dyscalculia. I'm high functioning enough that most people can't tell, although many have figured out that I'm "off" and will treat me accordingly. Oh, well. I guess you can call it a built-in jerk filter, because truly kind people never seem to care!
Thanks for sharing. You are an amazingly active person here and one could never tell! I hope that your strength and spirit continue to increase and that you will always be happy.
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Post by Cluemsb »

I am glad that your out come was better than the being. I am very happy that you choose to teach special need children. They are a true blessing and have very positive out look. I enjoy my career working with them. My life is blessed by their happiness. :D
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Post by littlefrog »

I am on the small side of life, I just hit 5 ft tall, I fight to keep my weight over 100 lbs, I have to buy my clothes in the kids department, or make them myself, my snow boots have Buster Brown markings on the bottom and my tennis shoes say Dynakids, I am over 50 decades in years, and really have to get creative to "dress my age". As the runt of the litter, nine in all (6 boys, 3 girls) I am in the middle, so I learned how to make my presence known. We all learn how to adapt and thrive when we are given the chance to bloom. What we lack in one area, we excel in another. Everything is a gift, sometimes we just have to figure out how to use that gift. Look at the beautiful music Beethoven made and he was deaf. Love and support turn us into the person God intends.

I am new to this site, but really enjoy reading all the posts. I look forward to creating new friends.
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Post by Sindhu Srinath »

greenstripedgiraffe wrote:I'm basically not quite normal. I look fairly normal, and most people think I am, but I have a bit of something "off" that has not yet been categorized or quantified. I have significant troubles fitting in socially. It might be slight Attention Deficit Disorder (no Hyperactivity in there, though). I might have a little bit of autistic tendencies (I have at least one child on the spectrum, but they are both worse than I am). I have never mastered the art of "small talk," largely because I don't understand how it works. I over-analyze everything and am considered to be very logical. I tend to be blunt and tactless. I know these tendencies and work really hard to overcome the socially awkward part, but I haven't mastered that yet either - HA!
You don't have to worry AT ALL. I think you're perfectly normal. Over-analyzing stuff would make you a WONDERFUL thinker. I'm sure that you're pretty creative as well! Being blunt is a good thing; frankness is honesty, according to me. May you always be happy in life!
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Post by Ripley3131 »

This is a terrific thread. I think that being more open about discussing our differences is helping to take the stigma away from them.
I can relate in some respects to Conor of the book, and to everyone here that was brave enough to mention what makes them different.
I am physically handicapped now after having been an extreme athlete. I see how people look at me differently then they used to, but I choose not to let it bother me. Sometimes I think it's curiosity that makes them stare, while other times it is pity or disdain for the handicapped.
I believe that we all have a journey to take and that for some the journey is a difficult one. But each of us has something to give, and if there are some that can't see that, than I pity them for their short-sightedness. And who knows, maybe they will later come to understand how to appreciate that we are all uniquely different in amazing ways.
A big thank you to everyone that posted, and to Barr for giving us the Conor character.
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Post by pennydreadful »

I am a self proclaimed freak of nature. I was born with incomplete ears. It's hard to tell, but having no hoods or earlobes, makes jewelry wearing problematic. When I was 12, doctors discovered that the bones in the lower half of both arms were on the wrong sides. I cannot straighten either of them. Straight out in front is a 25 degree bend outward on both sides. Fast forward to 27, when I got the chicken pox for the third time in my life. I had a series of tests which showed I had a Chairi Malformation. Basically, my brain was positioned in such a way that my skull was too small. I had brain surgery resulting in a piece of my skull being removed and the hole padded with a piece of my leg. After all of that, it wasn't until I had my first child, during C-section, my doctors discovered that my internal organs are mirrored. Instead of all facing forward, all of my organs face the back. So far, it's been a blissful 9 years without irregularities. Just wondering if my third eye will start coming in once I turn 40! :P
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