I knew when I was younger that I wasn't straight because I had crushes on both boys and girls. I repeatedly fell for my best friends, they were different people.
I knew when I was younger that my brain overstimulated itself a lot making me crazy and openly expressing myself in the only way I knew how by writing every feeling in a journal. The journals added up over the years that labeled me a writer and a poet. Those are the labels I accept about myself.
I knew when I was younger that I could process a lot of things faster than the rest of the kids my age labeling me "mature for my age". I have always been told that I am a good writer and it took awhile to accept the praises I would get for my poetry. Every time someone would give me a compliment me, my mind would go blank and my little sister would thank them for me.
I knew when I was younger that I didn't care what people thought of me. My mom didn't like that so she always told me how to dress right, how to speak right, how to act right and how to be polite. I was raised in a church where being different was frowned upon. I pretended that I didn't feel lonely. I pretended that didn't feel oppressed for being me. I didn't care about talking to other church members because I don't trust anyone that I don't know.