"But only 2% of the population is intersex. It's not that common. Why should we reframe or perception of gender for intersex people?"
Completely ignoring the fact that empathy exists. You do realize that 2% of the population in the medical field is considered very common, yes?
2% of children and 0.5% of adults have a peanut allergy and that's so common that they have entire rules around in in public spaces.
0.24-1% of the population has Rheumatoid arthritis. That's an eighth to a half of the number of intersex people!
1-2% of people are estimated to have autism, and that's considered a common condition.
0.1%-2.6% of people will get melanoma in their life time, and that's considered common.
1.2% of people have epilepsy and that's considered common.
Completely ignoring statistics like 6% of women have PCOS (which is a condition that can fall under the intersex umbrella). 2% of the population in the medical field is considered a common condition, and ergo by medical terms intersex is in itself common.
I don't think you realize how big 2% is. That's 2 in 100 people. If you walk into 3 fully filled classrooms (when I was in school a full classroom was 40 students). Chances are you just saw 2 intersex kids and didn't even know it.
So yeah. I think intersex is common enough to include in our discussions around gender and how transphobic rules affects intersex people.
Lance is surprised when Keith, who's been declared missing/dead by the Blades, appears in his room in the middle of the night. The former Black Paladin looks just as startled and it takes both of them a moment to react beyond that.
The wolf doesn't hesitate to bound forward and shove his face under Lance's arm, tail whipping back and forth in joy. He obliges the unspoken request, hands mindlessly scratching beneath thick fur. His eyes stay on Keith even as the vision of his friend swims and he has to rapidly blink to get it to steady once more.
"What's wrong with you?" It comes out of Keith in that brazen way any of his demands do, but Lance knows him better, detects the softness and concern behind the words.
Figuring the lack of sleep is finally messing with his mind and this is all an illusion, Lance responds honestly, "I'm scared I won't wake up." That doesn't even begin to cover everything that's wrong with him, all the new issues he's developed since Allura pulled his soul back from the void and shoved it back in his body. "I died and I think I was s'posed to stay that way."
Keith's arms wrap around him as Lance sobs and the tears start dropping. Uniform and all, the Blade tucks himself next to Lance and holds him until his breathing calms, promising him it'll be okay and that he's not meant to be dead.
"I'll stay with you, okay? I'll make sure you wake up."
Lance nods into his chest. For the first time in weeks, sleep greets him and he doesn't feel like its darkness is trying to take him away.
*****
Overview: Kosmo meets Lance in a vision and decides he wants to see the Red Paladin again, so he poofs himself and Keith to Lance's room on the Castleship. It's the first of many visits.
unfortunately if you are an old friend of mine i will always care about you no matter what even if we haven't seen each other in forever because i still remember what you were like 7 years ago and i still remember how it felt to be young with you and i still have a lot of love for you in the back of my mind