I was covert for more than half of my life and the energy and effort it took to hide stuttering was so much worse than just stuttering. I lost a long held job because of stuttering. The shame and guilt I felt because I hid stuttering until I couldn’t anymore still resides somewhere deep within me. Even though your post is about being part of the “ex-stutterer’s club,” I feel I can still relate to this. I am an “ex-covert stutterer” in my early 60’s who now stutters openly and freely. I have spent so much time pondering the two pronged journey I’ve taken with stuttering - hiding and exposing. Both significantly shaped who I am today. What club would you say I belong to?