Ryland Was Never A Phase

My name is Ryland, I'm Asexual, Aromantic and Nonbinary. This is my story.

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My story starts out when I was nine in primary school. I naturally gravitated towards boys and train sets and boats, all considered "boys" things but still considered myself a girl as I was born female. One day I was found crying because of this and brought to the teacher, but on questioning why I was crying, I said I didn't know. The teacher said that was ridiculous and sent me off, though I knew from that point I was different.

At age 11 I found out about the LGBT community, and immediately self-identified as lesbian, though this was never right. I jumped between labels: bisexual, greysexual, aliagender, genderfluid, but none seemed right for me. So when I found Demiboy, Asexual and Aromantic, it was like I'd found the flag in the storm.

It was for definite my identity and I continue to identify like that to this day (I'm 13 and a half now). My mum questioned me, especially when I picked my name and pronouns, saying "don't you think this Ryland thing is just a phase?" But she willingly called me by they/them pronouns and by Ryland. She knows a lot to this day, but she knows Ryland was never just a phase.

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