Photo of Lyric in a grey blazer, black undershirt, and red pants. They have their medium-length hair down and are smiling to the side in front of a bold orange and teal sunset. On the image is the text that reads: I AM Autistic and Proud - Lyric Rivera, NeuroDivergent Rebel.

Embracing my Autistic Identity: Do you ever get the feeling you are finally becoming who you were meant to be?

I’ve been spending a lot of time reflecting on who I used to be when I did not yet know I was Autistic, as well as who I am now (that I’ve known the truth about my mind for over seven years).

Continue reading Embracing my Autistic Identity: Do you ever get the feeling you are finally becoming who you were meant to be?

Lyric Rivera - NeuroDivergent Rebel Asks: Has anyone ever tried to punish the NeuroDivergence out of you?

Have You Ever Been Punished (or Scolded) for Your NeuroDivergence?

Recently, I asked my NeuroDivergent readers if anyone has “ever tried to “punish” the NeuroDivergence out of” them (while being reasonably sure I knew the answer to my question).

Overwhelming comments came pouring in on various platforms, with stories from my readers telling how they had been harmed by people around them (who insisted on unfair and unrealistic expectations of NeuroTypicality).

I knew there would be Autistic People and ADHDers who had been punished for our NeuroTypes because many of my readers are my age (or older), and when we were growing up, punishment was the standard of care for kids who struggled to fall in line.

What surprised me was how many people with other NeuroTypes were also punished for things beyond their control. Continue reading Have You Ever Been Punished (or Scolded) for Your NeuroDivergence?

Put down, over and over again, stifled into silence because nobody knew I was AuDHD, and everyone expected me to be and act as if my brain wasn't wired differently from theirs.

Escaping an Abusive Relationship with Society: A Late Diagnosed Autism Story – My Autistic Life

When I found out I was Autistic a few months before my thirtieth birthday, it was a moment that made me realize that I’d been in an abusive relationship with society.
Continue reading Escaping an Abusive Relationship with Society: A Late Diagnosed Autism Story – My Autistic Life