N I Nicholson

Diagnoses

Passions

Vocation

American poet, essayist and blogger who came out as transgender in 2014, and goes by the names Nico, Ian or N.I. Nicholson. Nicholson was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome around 2011, before then studying personality systems like the enneagram, "to help me understand people because unlike things, systems, etc. people can be a bit hard for me to figure out." Nicholson published a short autobiography on Awe In Autism: "Nicole writes 'to communicate, engage minds and hearts, offer different ways of seeing and feeling, and help others find their way back home.'" Nicholson's work has been published in Young and Strong Verse and in two chapbooks: Raven Feathers and word. Nicholson regularly blogs poems at Raven’s Wing Poetry and is a contributor to We Write Poems, an online community of poets. Nicholson also blogs about personal Asperger-related experiences at Woman With Asperger’s. Most recently, Nicholson's poetry was published in Poets for Living Waters. Nicholson recently received a Naturally Autistic Award from the ANCA Foundation in the International Adult Literary category for an unpublished collection of poems, aptly entitled Novena. On 7 June 2016 Nicholson wrote about his sex change in Raven's Wing Poetry | The Poetry of N.I. Nicholson: "I first started this blog in 2008 when I was still Nicole Nicholson. Why do I say “when I was still Nicole Nicholson?” It’s because in November 2014, I came out as transgender to my close friends and family. I came to understand that I am actually a man, and I have been slowly coming out to more people. At the end of May 2016, I made the difficult decision to leave my former job in order to continue my transition, both physically and legally. I am also in the process of transitioning to a new career path, and you’ll certainly see more of me out there. I publish my poetry, CNF, and essays as N.I. Nicholson. But you may call me Nico or Ian."