"I try to celebrate the similarities we all have and find common ground, not find things that separate."

I just wanted to repeat this because it is exactly what I try to do too.  I have had the pleasure of getting to know a lot of people in chat, everyone with their own different experiences and backgrounds, and I always find it wonderful to chat with someone with such a different experience of gender as mine and have those "me too! me too!" moments.  And I have so much empathy for anyone who has had to deal with dysphoria, whatever the identification or life circumstances.

There's just to many people under this tiny little umbrella and it's looken like someone is going to have to get wet if we're going to get along. Oh wait maybe that's the problem the umbrella is to small and people are getting wet therefore there is a touch of irritation. We need a bigger umbrella!

Gretchen's too small umbrella is a good one, so is your avatar! :-)

It's raining right now over here, and I can just see it in my mind's eye. The jostle going on underneath it.
Hey... like I was here first, it's MY umbrella, much more then yours at that, etc. And the ones that get at least half-wet - and then some getting pushed out in the rain all together... ("'cause you have the wrong attitude – bitch!" :-)

Wet folks = grumpy folks...

Life? Yes, get a rain coat, just in case :-)
Axélle

Or try to develop an attitude which can withstand the rain