On Wednesday night, millions of neurodivergent and disabled Americans saw themselves in the moment 17-year-old Gus Walz, son of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, emotionally exclaimed "That's my Dad!" at the Democratic National Convention (DNC). The Walz family is open that Gus Walz has been diagnosed with both Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and a nonverbal learning disability (NVLD).
This means Walz has a disability and, if he chooses, could be classified as neurodivergent, a term referring to people whose brain differences affect their abilities in ways that significantly deviate from the so-called "neurotypical" norm. The CDC estimated that 15 to 20 percent of the population is neurodivergent in some way, meaning millions of Americans could potentially identify with Walz.
Unfortunately, many have twisted what was ostensibly a tender moment into an opportunity for bullying, such as columnist Ann Coulter turning Walz into a punchline by tweeting a now-deleted post that read "Talk about weird..."
Many, including former First Lady Michelle Obama, have pushed back against this negativity toward Gov. Tim Walz's son. Obama's outrage is perhaps unsurprising — she and her husband, former President Barack Obama, produced a disability-themed Netflix series called "Crip Camp." Yet if there is one constant theme among neurodiversity and disability rights advocates, it is that they are grateful for all of the support from neurotypical and non-disabled allies that they can get.
After all, mockery of the type we're seeing against Walz can have serious real-world consequences.
"The backlash against Gus Walz is heartbreaking as the Walzes represent millions of American families — about 1 in 6 children have a developmental disability," Katy Neas, CEO of The Arc, told Salon. The Arc is an organization founded in the 1950s to assist individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
"This is just one example of how our society continues to perpetuate deep-rooted stigmas about people with disabilities," Neas added. "We misunderstand and devalue the experiences of people with disabilities, which is not only hurtful, but also harmful. These negative responses are chipping away at the opportunities people with disabilities have to lead fulfilling lives."
The backlash to Gus Walz might stimulate "hate and discrimination" about neurodivergent and disabled people more generally, Maria Town, the president and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities, told Salon.
"Given the amount online hate disabled people experience simply for being themselves and the amount of bullying youth and kids with disabilities experience on a regular basis, we could sadly anticipate that Gus would be mocked," Town said. "Soon after the DNC ended, we began to see memes online making fun of Gus' reactions — a terrible and disrespectful response to a moving display of familial love. Such a response should not be tolerated. I hope serious efforts are underway to protect Gus' physical and emotional safety as we move closer to the election."
Other people who are neurodivergent and/or have disabilities will also need protections. Mickey Rowe, an autistic and legally blind actor, elaborated how neurodivergent and disabled individuals benefit from the support of their neurotypical and non-disabled allies.
"I also know how desperately neurodivergent people look for and cling to 'good people,'" Rowe told Salon. "We face so much discrimination everyday. My daily life looks like seeking human connection, and failing. Trying to make a moment of friendship or love, and failing. Being judged and shamed by those who are scared of differences and disability. Because we feel so misunderstood the majority of the time, when we find someone smart and kind who gets it, who gets and understand us, we latch on to those safe people. We look up to them."
Rowe added, "Gus made it so clear to the world at the DNC that Tim Walz is his safe person. And since we know neurodiverse people are truth tellers at all costs, I believe Gus above any politician."
Town said many families are further seeing their experiences validated through the display of "love and support they saw through Gus Walz and his family."
"When Gus showed huge displays of emotion and overwhelm of pride for his father, he wasn't shushed or told to be smaller," she said. "Instead he was greeted with enormous hugs from a father who is obviously proud of his son, as a parent of any child should be. Many disabled people and their family members were deeply moved by this display, which on its face is ordinary but is all too rarely seen on such a national stage."
Dr. Ramani Durvasula, a licensed clinical psychologist and professor of psychology, told Salon that she hopes the discussion about Gus Walz can transition into a healthier national conversation about neurodiversity. Remarking that her "heart was full watching that moment when Gus was sharing his joy with the world, as were many Americans on both sides of the aisle," Durvasula urged Americans regardless of their political persuasion to educate themselves about the spectrum of human neurological experiences with regard to language, cognition, behavior, social processing and patterns such as autism spectrum.
Durvasula added that it is her "sincere hope" that we "develop policies, especially educational policies that create better systems from preschool through high school as well as adult programs that support children and adolescents as they transition into adulthood. And that these policies start recognizing the challenges that families with fewer economic resources experience. Compassion, empathy, respect, awareness of difference and meeting people where they are at, are all central to this conversation."
At least one historian who has studied the disability rights movement shares Durvasula's concern. Phyllis Vine, author of "Fighting for Recovery: An Activists' History of Mental Health Reform," singled out Coulter's ridicule as exemplifying something more insidious — a callousness toward diversity which has historically been a hallmark of far right politics.
"She follows in Donald Trump’s footsteps," Vine said. "Among his more public hostile remarks about people with disabilities date from his candidacy in 2015, in which he delighted mocking a reporter. More recently his nephew, Fred Trump III, has disclosed Trump’s repugnant views about the costs of people with disabilities, remarks made when he was president." The former president allegedly told his nephew that disabled Americans "should just die."
"Coulter’s remarks are more than bad taste," Vine explained, saying that all forms of dehumanization against marginalized groups must be called out for what they are. "Insensitivity to diversity reminds us how Nazis grew their ranks. Belittling people with disabilities was one of their dangerous hallmarks. We should not confuse it with something rude, apolitical or insensitive. It heralds danger."
To stave off this threat, Town urged Americans to follow the example of the Walz family: "neither ignoring or erasing disability, nor making too much of it." In terms of Gus Walz himself, she urged the public to respect his boundaries and only discuss his personal life as long as he fully consents to it. "His visibility may provide an opportunity to change the national conversation, and we implore all Americans to approach whatever Gus wants us to learn about his story with openness and respect."
Dr. Catherine Lord, the George Tarjan Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Education at UCLA's Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, also reminded the public to not armchair diagnose Gus Walz.
"If Gus chooses to identify himself as 'neurodivergent' that is a separate issue," Lord said. "He may be in a great position to help all the other people who are neurodivergent if he wants to do so but it should be his decision. And maybe it will help somebody understand being different in some ways doesn’t prevent good things."
"I think by far the most important thing about Gus Walz is how much he loves and respects his father," Lord said. "I’m shocked that someone would criticize him. Whether he has different diagnoses does not seem relevant or 'our business.'"
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