I think what you mean by embracing and what my friends/family mean by ignoring are pretty similar - like a mute acceptance but not dwelling on it at all. Basically, they think that recognition for chatting politely at the bank on a bad speaking day is counterproductive, and that I should only be proud of actually worthwhile things that I do and not of "normal" things that are just a baseline to being an adult. I've stuttered my whole life too and I'm close in age - I know my stuttering affected my development, both for better and for worse. But I'm still wary of joining stuttering-specific social groups (ha here I am) because I really don't want it defining me? But I also wish I'd had a positive stuttering role model when I'd been young... so maybe stuttering groups are a good thing. I dunno, I'm conflicted! Thoughts?