Shame Free

Ty Wyss: Beloved Son, Gentle Iconoclast

Based on what he saw growing up, Tyler (Ty) Wyss thought being male meant you liked to hunt, fish, farm, work on cars, use women, and drink beer. But he wasn't interested in any of those things. The male world felt strange to him, and he was more comfortable relating to his mom. He knew what his anatomy was, though, and somehow adopted the idea that he was a sorry excuse for a male.

When he was nine, an older boy started sexually abusing him. It was repulsive, but he found himself returning to situations where it could happen again. It felt good to be "loved" that way, and it gave him a feeling of connection with the male world that had always felt so strange. One day in junior high, he was walking to lunch when he...