Category: Substack

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Lyric Rivera - NeuroDivergent Rebel - refusing assimilation into neurotypical society

The Rage That Saved Me & The Pain Before the Pride: What Success Looks Like When You’re Late-Diagnosed – A Late Identified AuDHD (Autistic and ADHD) Story

Lyric Holmans

There is a lot of talk in Neurodivergent spaces about how much relief late-identified Neurodivergent people find when they finally learn the truth about themselves. However, there’s not as much discussion on the pain and grief late identification can bring.

Don’t get me wrong, being diagnosed Autistic (and then later ADHD) did bring me relief and was a critical turning point in my life. Yet, early on, as I learned to sit with that new information, joy and relief were not my only (or even primary) emotions.

People who join me in this chapter of my life, when I am confident, happy, and proud of my multiply-Neurodivergent identity, might falsely think I’ve always been this way, or that getting here was easy. However, they’re missing out on the first thirty-eight chapters of my life’s story, and nothing could be further from the truth.
Continue reading The Rage That Saved Me & The Pain Before the Pride: What Success Looks Like When You’re Late-Diagnosed – A Late Identified AuDHD (Autistic and ADHD) Story

Children & Families, SubstackLeave a comment
Lyric (with long dark hair and shaved sides, with rainbow glasses), sitting in the corner surrounded by books they’ve written or collaborated on (The U.S. Autism, Identity, and Me Children’s Workbook and Parent/Helper Guide, and Workplace Neurodiversity Rising, while reading Neurodivergent Rebel’s The Weight of Normal).

I Was A Word Hoarder: For me, hyperlexia wasn’t just “reading early.” It was (and is) a specific way my brain processes symbols.

Lyric Holmans

If you’ve never heard of Hyperlexia before, it is when a person can read words very, very well (often better than most people). We may also struggle more with understanding the full context of what we read. In addition, many of us who are Hyperlexic often understand what we read more easily than what is said to us out loud. Continue reading I Was A Word Hoarder: For me, hyperlexia wasn’t just “reading early.” It was (and is) a specific way my brain processes symbols.

Masking / Passing, SubstackLeave a comment
Lyric, years ago, with long black hair and pale skin from staying indoors, dressed as in a red hood and red and silver mask.

Growing Up Not Knowing About My Neurodivergent (Autistic and ADHD) Brain and What I Wish I Had Understood Sooner

Lyric Holmans

Question for my late-identified Neurodivergent readers: Is there anything you wish you’d known or understood sooner?

If you could give one piece of advice to your younger, unidentified self, what would it be?

I am Neurodivergent, but I didn’t know it (or even what Neurodivergence or Neurodiversity was) for most of my life.

Being diagnosed Autistic, at the age of 29, a few months shy of my 30th birthday, during a mental health crisis, turned my world upside down. It also saved my life. Continue reading Growing Up Not Knowing About My Neurodivergent (Autistic and ADHD) Brain and What I Wish I Had Understood Sooner

Masking / Passing, SubstackLeave a comment

I Had to Unlearn Shame to Find My Autistic Pride – They Told Me My Autistic Traits Were Flaws. I Know Better Now.

Lyric Holmans

Before I knew it was Autism, I didn’t have Autistic pride – only shame for my Autistic traits. Autistic pride is something I had to grow into. Here’s what changed. Continue reading I Had to Unlearn Shame to Find My Autistic Pride – They Told Me My Autistic Traits Were Flaws. I Know Better Now.

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Cover of the book 'Autism, Identity and Me: A Practical Workbook to Empower Adults' by Rebecca Duffus and Lyric Rivera, featuring a colorful floral design. The book is available for pre-order and will ship in November 2026.

Why I Dreaded This Task… and Why I’m Grateful I Did It – Over 13 Hours, 390 Pages, and One Very Stiff Back: A Copyediting Saga

Lyric Holmans

I really think we have something VERY special with the Autism, Identity and Me Adult Workbook (not that the children’s workbooks or my other projects weren’t also special), because I could only have dreamed of having a workbook LIKE THIS ten years ago (when I was newly diagnosed as Autistic). Continue reading Why I Dreaded This Task… and Why I’m Grateful I Did It – Over 13 Hours, 390 Pages, and One Very Stiff Back: A Copyediting Saga

LGBTQIA+, SubstackLeave a comment
Lyric Rivera, taking a selfie on a grassy riverbank. They (a nonbinary person with tan skin and long black hair) are smiling at the camera. Lyric is wearing a black tank top with a rainbow infinity sign that reads “Refusing Assimilation into NeuroTypical Society,” and a small tan puppy is visible over their left shoulder.

Welcome to Pride Month 2026: They Want Us to Hide. Here’s Why I’m Being Loud – Also, 8 Ignorant Things People Say to Queer People (And How to Flip Them)

Lyric Holmans

Today is June 1, 2026. It is the first day of Pride Month, in a year where being openly and unapologetically open about being Queer in many ways feels more dangerous for many of us (especially within the United States) than it has in a long time. Continue reading Welcome to Pride Month 2026: They Want Us to Hide. Here’s Why I’m Being Loud – Also, 8 Ignorant Things People Say to Queer People (And How to Flip Them)

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Lyric appears smiling, against a rainbow pride background, holding a cartoon brick. Beside them are four floating hearts representing the nonbinary flag, trans flag, pansexual flag, genderfluid flag, and polyamorous flag; beside them, it reads “Lyric - they/them.”

Pride Month 2026: Visibility Is Becoming Dangerous Again – If lists are being made, I’m fairly certain I’m already on them.

Lyric Holmans

Pride Month Is Next Week. I’m Not Sure How Visible I Want to Be Anymore. – The leaders of our movement are still the ones with nothing left to lose. Continue reading Pride Month 2026: Visibility Is Becoming Dangerous Again – If lists are being made, I’m fairly certain I’m already on them.

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A video game character with cat ears and a health bar above them that is mostly full. To their side is a gold plaque that says ‘level up’.

The DSM-5 Has No Language for an Autistic Person at Peace – The Medical Model Only Shows You Our Worst Days

Lyric Holmans

I like to describe my experience using a video game ‘health bar’ metaphor.

The non-autistic people around me, especially those with more proximity to neuro-normativity, live in an environment that is tailored to charge up their ‘health bars’, or to take less life force away from them. Continue reading The DSM-5 Has No Language for an Autistic Person at Peace – The Medical Model Only Shows You Our Worst Days