National Coming Out Day: My Queer, NeuroDivergent (NeuroQueer) Perspective

The Me I Never Knew: A Journey of Self-Discovery

My name is Lyric Rivera, and my pronouns are they/them.

You may know me under the pen name NeuroDivergent Rebel, or you may not know me at all (yet). Either way, welcome. I'm glad you are here.

Lyric, sitting in the RV kitchen, taking a selfie, smiling.

Because National Coming Out Day is Tomorrow, I will start with my Queer identities:

I'm nonbinary (GenderFluid if you care for specifics). I am Pansexual, and I'm also Polyamorous (though I'm very cautious about letting new people into my life because I've been hurt before).

My partner, David (also AuDHD and Polyamorous), often helps me behind the scenes (with creative projects and blog ideas) and occasionally appears in front of the camera when we're lucky. You may see David's curly hair and sparkling eyes from time to time.

David and Lyric in a car, David is driving and Lyric is taking a selfie style photo of both of them together.

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Now, let's move on to my NeuroDivergence:

I am a multiply NeuroDivergent adult, though I did not know what NeuroDivergence was (or how it applied to me) for most of my life.

I am (and always have been Autistic), but I only learned this truth about eight years ago. I'm also ADHD (and learned this less surprising fact a few years later). There are more ways I am NeuroDivergent, but I don't share all of these parts of myself online (or offline).  

For nearly thirty years, I was unaware that I was born with a NeuroDivergent mind (or of the acquired forms of NeuroDivergence I've gained over the years).

In those first twenty-nine years (when I didn't yet know about my NeuroDivergence), I was a passenger in my own life, lost and not understanding who I truly was, stuck in a constant battle over my own identity.

This blog (which I started soon after discovering the truth about my brain) has been my way of working out and processing my feelings, thoughts, and ideas related to what learning I'm NeuroDivergent late in life has meant to me.

When I started this blog about eight years ago, I was a very different person than I am today (my readers are to be thanked for that in many ways).

I didn't know myself back then. How could I have when that Self had been denied for most of my life?

Since this blog's founding, I've been on a voyage of rediscovery. Many of you have been with me on that journey for multiple years (some since the very beginning), and some have left.

Whether you've been in my world for years, months, weeks, or days, I thank you for that. This blog is only possible with the help of my AMAZING readers.

How long have YOU been reading?

Paid subscribers have access to the rest of the story. Thanks to every one of you for supporting my work.

If you are in need of a discount, please use the link below to get your subscription at a deep discount (because I don't want money to be an obstacle to people):

https://neurodivergentrebel.substack.com/LowIncomeDiscount

For readers experiencing financial hardship, please note that this offer is exclusively for you. This discount is offered on the “honors system” - I am not going to ask anyone for proof.

Please, kindly refrain from taking this offer if you do not need it.

I hope this helps,
- Lyric