Emotions Are for Everyone

It gets on my nerves when someone responds negatively to seeing a person with a disability expressing their emotions. It’s especially frustrating when people consider it “weird”.

When something makes me happy or sad, I express my emotions in my own way, just like everyone else. While I can usually contain stronger emotions in a way that follows most social norms, others with certain disabilities cannot. For the individuals whose emotional responses look “different” than what’s expected, the world can be a very judgmental place.

An example of this kind of judgement is the public response to Gus Walz, son of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. During the governor’s acceptance speech for the Vice-Presidential nomination at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, Gus was overcome with excitement. He responded to his father’s speech with hugs, tears, outbursts, and pure joy. I can just imagine how he felt. If that was my father, I’d probably react the same way. Wouldn’t you?

Sadly, after Gus’s response was made public, he was ridiculed on social media. All kinds of mean and hurtful comments were made. I wondered if any of the online “trolls” making critical comments about Gus ever bothered to consider whether he had a disability. In either case, he was shown no empathy.

If they cared to know, a quick Google search would have told critics that Gus has multiple diagnoses, including a non-verbal learning disorder, ADHD, and an anxiety disorder. These disabilities often cause him to have outbursts, wear his emotions on his sleeve, and make it difficult for him to verbalize what he wants to say. Gus himself admits trying to control these characteristics, but it’s a work in progress.

Like everyone else in the community, there is a lot more to know about Gus Walz than just the disabilities he lives with every day. Gus is an intelligent person who graduated from St. Paul Central High School and is planning to attend college. He earned his driver’s license at age 17. He is also a brave young man. As a teen, he witnessed a shooting at his local recreation center where he plays volleyball. During the incident, Gus remained calm while helping his peers get to a safe space.

Not all disabilities are as visible as Gus’s. I thought it was cool that Gus disclosed his disabilities in response to the negativity online, because he didn’t have to. Everyone is working through something in private and they’re not disclosing it to the world. This is why we should demonstrate sensitivity and respect toward everyone we meet. It’s common courtesy.

Despite the ridicule from some, Gus’s pure response to his father in that viral video also made him popular for representing neurodivergence, in what became called the “Gus Walz effect”. I respect Gus and I’m proud of him for sharing his story and setting the record straight. His now-famous moment of cheering for his dad showed the world there’s nothing wrong with expressing how you feel, because emotions are for everyone.