Queer + Whole with Richie X

Reclaiming the Garden

In this episode, we have a conversation with Richie X, an autistic, queer and non-binary writer/commentator and host of two podcasts, Surviving Fundamentalism and Underdogs on Top! They share their winding faith journey from being raised Muslim to finding Black Baptist churches and becoming a young preacher, to finding Pentecostalism, to joining a fundamentalist cult, to deconstructing and finding wholeness in the God who “just is,” who says “They are who They are.” They also discuss how their neurodivergence impacted their experience in religious spaces (religion gave rules and black + white thinking, gave them a passion to research Bible/theology), and how education opened up their mind to new ideas and led them down the path of deconstruction and coming to terms with their queer identity.

You can find Richie X on Instagram and Twitter @richieatitagain. You can find their podcasts Surviving Fundamentalism and Underdogs on Top wherever you listen to podcasts.

Here is the newsletter April mentions in the episode, DL Mayfield’s God is my Special Interest: https://dlmayfield.substack.com/

We have merch! Get your Bible Dyke Energy Tee or mug here: https://reclaiming-the-garden.creator-spring.com/

Our social media: @reclaimingthegarden on Insta, @RtGardenPodcast on Twitter, and Reclaiming the Garden on Facebook. Our personal accounts: @thatpunchabletheaternerd, @April_TheWriter (April is on Twitter and Insta). Also, our podcast account follows a bunch of awesome folks + podcasts in the exvangelical/deconstruction world and progressive Christian world, so if you’re looking for more resources, that’s a great place to start!