Uh, where am I?
You are here! 📍 More specifically, you’re on a blog called Let’s Queer Things Up!.
In short, this is a blog that explores topics related to mental health and neurodivergence from a queer perspective.
The blog launched over a decade ago in 2014, and is written and maintained by me, Sam Dylan Finch (he/him).
While I originally launched LQTU as a young queer person, hoping to share my journey as transgender and neurodivergent, the blog has since grown to encompass cultural analysis, personal essays, and affirming resources for folks who exist outside of the status quo.
LQTU is…
A blog representing one person’s perspective on topics related to neurodivergence, trauma, queer and trans identity, cultural conversations, community discourse, and more.
LQTU is not…
A news website (so, I can’t reasonably cover every topic and every perspective!), a medical publisher (the content here is not vetted by clinicians and should not be considered medical advice), or a crisis resource (if you’re experiencing an emergency, I am not the person to contact! Please click here instead).
Who is Sam Dylan Finch?
Hi, I’m Sam! I’m a thirty-something writer, coach, and creative, living in Detroit, Michigan.
I started LQTU almost a decade ago now, hoping to empower LGBTQIA+ people and survivors to live more authentic, meaningful, and supported lives.
Writing my own story has also helped me to find meaning in the struggles that used to feel all-consuming. Maybe through witnessing me stumble and persevere, you’ll feel inspired to carve out your own unique path, too.
This blog is equal parts advice-I-wish-I’d-had and glimpses into my personal journey.
I’ve written about everything from body image as a trans person, to AuDHD “life hacks” (or, you know, accommodations), to navigating trauma responses like fawning. My hope has always been that what I’ve learned along the way might benefit others, too.
When I’m not blogging, I’m making top tier playlists to shake ass to, filling my notes app with standup comedy routines I still haven’t performed, perfecting a recipe inspired by my Maltese heritage, or consulting my tarot cards about my travel plans.
I’m a relentless optimist, passionate multi-hyphenate, and absolute clown. I’m basically what happens when you put Leslie Knope, Chidi Anagonye, and Steven Universe into one human being.
And no, while I’m not a licensed therapist, I am a Scorpio sun (and stellium), so.
🧠 If you’re looking for peer coaching, click here.
✒️ If you’re interested in hiring me as a writer, consultant, or creator, head over the the contact form!
What does it mean to “queer” mental health?
Can I be honest with you? When I started this blog in my early twenties, fresh out of university, my answer was a lot more like: “I’m a queer person struggling with my mental health and talking openly about it… so my participation is queering mental health!”
Of course, in 2014, things looked so different, and it was in some ways a courageous act to openly share my struggles!
But when I think about what it means to queer mental health now, I don’t see my mere participation as the be-all end-all, and I effort to do something a little more with my voice.
So, here’s my answer at age 34.
I write with the aim of adding more nuance, depth, and humanity to topics that are often misunderstood, especially in ways that move us collectively toward political and cultural transformation.
Put another way, I write to set us free. From the scripts that limit who we become, to the internalized shame that impedes our fullest self-expression, and ultimately (in what ways I can) from the systems that disempower and marginalize us.
“Queering” something like mental health means, to me, that we connect the dots between our personal struggles and the political context that they emerge in.
And that is a process, not a destination! This blog represents a glimpse into that process for me.
I also believe liberation is, at its core, first an “inside job.” And as such, I often use my own experiences as a starting place and as a mirror, maybe even a portal.
Ultimately the journey I’m on is not all that different from yours — if you’ve found this blog and resonate with it, chances are, I’m right in the thick of it with you.
