Your Rebellion, Your Rules: Resistance Comes in Many Forms - Claiming Your Right to Rebel (On Your Terms)
The Quiet Revolution: Small Acts of Defiance That Add Up
There are many ways to resist, protest, fight back, and survive what's coming our way.
I've noticed recently that no matter what you choose to do, someone will think your choice is "wrong" (and will tell you all about what they think about your personal choices -whether you ask for their input or not).
If someone’s choice isn’t harming anyone else (or spreading hate), it’s theirs to make.
As an example, how we chose to identify ourselves, our pronouns, and what we choose to do to our bodies are all personal choices. How I choose to protest or not (as long as I’m not causing harm) is also my personal choice.
Embracing (and standing firm in my own choices) has been part of my journey of personal growth since learning about my NeuroDivergent mind (more than eight years ago).
For most of my life, I'd allowed people around me to dictate what they thought I needed and who I should be (or be doing), but finding out I am (and always have been) Autistic (a few months shy of my 30th birthday) changed all that, setting me on a new path, giving me a language (and the courage) to adjust things.
Recently, I've become increasingly resistant to people who think they know better than I do what I "should be doing" with my life and time.
I've become more confident in doing what I want (even if the people around me don't understand or believe in what I'm doing).
I've also gotten better at knowing when I need to take a step back and rest, even if there is pressure from those in the outside world to keep moving (a skill I didn't have for most of my life).
Learning to Pace Myself
I overdid things last week and didn't feel up to attending a massive protest several cities away this past weekend.
I stayed ready to share protest videos and photos from around the globe once they were released because I knew this event was projected to draw huge crowds that I assumed would be much larger than the RSVP lists (because many people don't want to RSVP and tie their name to anything protest-related with a retaliatory dictator in office-myself included).
Going into the weekend, I had a feeling that these gatherings would likely be so big that the mainstream media would have no choice but to cover them... I was right.
While I didn't feel up to marching in the streets on Saturday, I did feel up to searching for photos and videos of those who did march to share (so the world would see that The People were speaking out against the tyranny on this continent).
This time, instead of pushing myself past my breaking point (like I once would have done), I took the migraine that hit me late in the week as a warning to slow down, making a choice to sit this one out (and only feeling slightly guilty instead of massively guilty about it). That, for me, is progress. That, for me, is growth.
Personal growth will look different for every person (because we all have different knowledge, skills, abilities, and resources available to us). The same is true for how we protest.
Your Rebellion May Look Different from Your Neighbors
A person without a vehicle in a food desert with very few stores (where Walmart is the ONLY place to buy food for many miles) may have a very different way of protesting compared to someone with more resources (who lives near a variety of small businesses that offer everything they need to survive at an affordable price within minutes of their home).
There are many ways to protest.
While I didn't go out marching in the streets this past weekend, I recently participated in multiple (less visible) forms of protest.
Where We Shop
David and I stopped shopping at Amazon, Walmart, and Target and are instead shopping at HEB (a fantastic grocery store in Texas that intends to stick by its DEIA programs) for food and other items.
I'm considering getting a Costco membership, but I've not done it, mainly because I've been fine buying things locally and from smaller shops so far. Plus, that colossal store is a bit overwhelming to me as an Autistic Person.
As a small business owner, it always feels better (to me) to support another small business whenever possible.
I would prefer to give my money to a small company (instead of some gigantic organization that likely exploits its workers and the planet to keep its prices low like Walmart or Amazon, or some company that won't stick to its DEIA initiatives like Target), especially if that organization is enabling (or worse, supporting) fascism.
I Can't Keep Up With Everything We're Boycotting
Every week, (it seems like) new companies and brands are added to our boycott lists, and while I look at those lists whenever they come across my news feed, I've given up trying to memorize all the products on the "avoid lists" and instead opting to minimize all my shopping, (shopping at my few safe stores) buying generic brands, used, and items "without brands" when shopping is needed.
Since HEB (our grocery store) is a "safe ally," I mostly buy their store-brand products, avoiding any of the big national brands when we buy food. I also try not to spend additional money outside of the grocery store (unless it's necessary to do so).
So far, this has worked well for me (because I'm boycotting almost every company already). That makes my life simpler because, by default, as new companies are added to the boycott lists, I'm not constantly having to drop things because I've already dropped non-essential shopping (including support of almost every brand before being asked to do so).
Buying Less & Buying Used
We are also buying less (something easy to do when you don't have much to spend in the first place). When we have to buy things, we get as many things as possible used (from local second-hand stores).
This weekend, I got a nice pair of leather boots that don't seem to have been worn before (because the zipper on mine finally gave out) and three pairs of shorts (because I was still lacking appropriate warm-weather clothes after spending years on the road in cooler climates).
Best of all, I got them all for under $20!
David also got a cheap pair of pants and a nice belt at a fair price.
Sticking it to those in power never felt so good.
Community care!
Help a friend in need, check on your neighbors, volunteer, donate goods you don’t need.
We help our friends and local community members out when we can.
Maybe it’s helping a neighbor mow the lawn, or giving a friend a ride somewhere, but whatever we give/do, we do so without expecting anything in return.
Our Cash Car
David and I purchased a 24-year-old used truck (instead of buying new and financing) from a small local dealership.
The truck needed some work, most of which David could do with very little assitance. The truck is also old enough that many of the parts have been relatively cheap (so far).
When David can't do a "truck project," we've found a trustworthy, honest, local shop with fair pricing for our repairs (instead of going to a big chain repair shop).
As an Author
As an author, I pulled my best-selling business ethics book, Workplace NeuroDiversity Rising, off Amazon (despite Amazon being the book's main distributor). This decision, which has likely harmed my book's sales (by cutting the book off from the organic traffic Amazon used to provide me), was driven by my commitment to ethical business practices (and my desire to stand firm against companies that support fascism).
I also started sharing ONLY direct links to the publisher for my other book collaboration with the talented and fabulous Rebecca Duffus (Autism, Identity, and Me, and its accompanying Parent's Guide) so as not to drive sales to Amazon.
On Social Media
I am someone in a unique position to have my voice heard right now (due to my social media platform that has the support of a unique and amazing community) - something not everyone has access to.
Before President Dump took office, after surviving one of the most difficult years of my life, I'd found myself feeling unmotivated to be heard (and hadn't been utilizing my social media presence to its full potential), but on January 20, 2025 something changed.
It was as if I'd been snapped back to reality, a fight newly awakened within me after over a year (maybe more) of dormancy.
Even in the early days (more than eight years ago), my social media presence was a tool that I used in resisting forced assimilation into our society's dominant (neuro and cis-hetero-normative) culture. Today, things are much the same.
I will use my social media presence to amplify my words (which are the main weapon I bring to this fight) and the words of others for as long as I'm able to do so (because I believe people willing to speak the truth must do so where The People are). However, one day, this may no longer be possible (if independent media and those speaking out are shut down, disapeared, or silenced).
I don't have all the answers.
I'm just one (imperfect) person doing my best to do what's right for the world (even though there are many things I don't know...yet).
Please don't feel pressured to model your journey after mine (or anyone else’s).
By sharing examples of how I do things, I do so not to pressure you to "do as I do" but with the hope that I may inspire you to think about creating systems that work well for you (and your individual situation and needs).
The journey is yours. I wish you luck on it.
If you are in need of a discount, please use the button or 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
One of my favorite alternatives to participating in the market economy is my local Buy Nothing group. I stumbled upon it on Facebook and I have truly never encountered such a kind and generous group. The motto is "we give from our abundance" and truly, these folx live out that motto. The idea is that nothing goes to a landfill, and no money is used in our exchanges. I highly recommend to anyone in need of, well, stuff, as well as people who want to connect with their neighbors in a way that actually creates a community.
Your listing and description of your choices is a great comfort to me. I, too, have made decisions that are, perhaps, the strongest way I can be actively protesting the culture being forced upon us.