Gus Walz’s unbridled emotion on the DNC stage opens the door to greater understanding of neurodiversity

“That’s my dad. That’s MY DADDY!” a visibly emotional Gus Walz exclaimed, through tears, at the Democratic National Convention. It’s rare to see this kind of healthy love and admiration, especially in a public setting, from a teenager to his parent.

For most Americans, this was their first introduction to Gus, the neurodivergent son of Minnesota Governor and Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz. In a Interviewing people Published at the convention, Tim Walz and his wife, Gwen, described Gus’ specific type of neurodivergence. They noted that he has been diagnosed with nonverbal learning disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, and anxiety.

Public reaction to Gus’ emotional displays was mixed. There were negative reactions such as those from conservative pundit Ann Coulterwho posted “Talk about weird…” in a now-deleted post on the social media platform X. Others initially laughed at Gus, a teenage male, for crying, but apologized when they learned he was neurodivergent.

But there were also positive reactions, such as that of former first lady Michelle Obama, who posted on Instagram: “I was touched to see how happy Gus Walz was when his father @TimWalz took the stage last night. Thank you for showing us all what true love looks like, Gus.” Some of the positive comments came from other families with neurodivergent members who saw themselves represented at that time.

As a researcher of applied behavior analysis and disability studies, I see this moment as an opportunity, especially for people whose brain functions, behaviors and processing are considered “standard” or “typical” by a large part of society to learn how to better understand and support neurodiversity.

The breadth of neurodiversity

Neurodiversity in itself is simply a biological fact. No two brains work in exactly the same way, and there are a range of brain and behavioral differences that lead to human variation, similar to race or sexual orientation. Neurodivergent is a term used to describe people whose brains differ in the way they develop and functionNeurodiverse people can be diagnosed with several related conditions, such as ADHD, autism and dyslexia.

Research suggests that 15% to 20% of the US population is neurodivergent, and this is probably an underrepresented number. That’s potentially 1 in 5 people.

When it comes to neurodevelopmental disorders, there are many co-occurring conditions. You can think of different diagnoses as a spectrum with other diagnoses. For example, anxiety and depression often have overlapping symptoms or can be thought of as a spectrum of one mental health condition. Neurodevelopmental disorders such as nonverbal learning disorder often coexist anxiety and ADHD.

What the DSM has to say

To learn more about neurodiversities like nonverbal learning disorders, ADHD, and anxiety, you would think that a mental health professional like me would recommend turning to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)the gold standard for mental health care.

I don’t recommend this, however, for two reasons. First, nonverbal learning disorder is a broad category that is not actually in the DSM-5. Researchers describe it as a visual-spatial developmental disorder, discovered in 1967.

The symptoms are consistent with many other diagnoses, such as autism spectrum disorder, developmental coordination disorder, specific learning disabilities, and ADHD.

Second, the standard criteria for most of these diagnoses are created entirely by professionals who may not themselves know what the experience is like. Traditionally, medical and psychological insight of neurodiversity characterizes these differences as deficits that need to be treated or cured.

Perhaps Gus experienced some of these symptoms at the DNC, perhaps not. This type of societal response, in which difference is characterized as a deficit, has led to societal oppression by the neurodivergent person to adapt their behavior to neurotypical behavior.

This attitude that any difference from the perceived societal norm should be shamed or ridiculed continues to this day in our society, as evidenced by posts on X like Coulter’s. Unfortunately, these views are deeply ingrained in society by the medical model of disabilityThis suggests that neurodivergent people need to learn how to adapt, rather than the rest of society creating more inclusive communities.

Shifting the paradigm

While the DSM can provide information about the symptoms of neurodivergence, I think it is important to look beyond the textbook information, which views neurodivergence as a deficit, and learn from the experiences of people with neurodiversity.

Neurodivergence, such as autism or ADHD, can be better understood by speaking directly to neurodivergent people so that both society and therapists can understand their wishes and support needs, rather than having neurotypical norms projected onto them.

This approach led me to co-author a book, “Understanding the life experiences of autistic adults,” with Adam Paul Valerius, an autistic adult and advocate in California. My conversations with Valerius over the course of two years have taught me more about autism than 10 years of studying psychology, and we now collaborate frequently and present together at professional conferences.

The Walz family has demonstrated on a global stage that while there are obstacles associated with neurodivergence, there are also great strengths. Just as neurotypical people have the autonomy to choose which of their challenges they seek support for and how they receive that support, research shows that neurodivergent voices should be centered in determining which support and solutions best suit their needs.

This paradigm shift moves away from a medical or deficit model of disability to what the social model of disabilityThis vision centers the voices of people with disabilities and views disability as something that is influenced by societal and cultural expectations.

The social model casts the responses to Gus’ emotional displays at the DNC in a new light. It makes room to explore questions like, why was it acceptable to ridicule a teenage boy for showing emotion, but not acceptable when they learned that he was neurodivergent?

Resources to learn more

In the lessons I teach the University of Southern CaliforniaI ask my students to read one book from a list of about 50 autobiographies by neurodivergent authors.

I also invite neurodivergent guest speakers into my classes to talk to students about their hopes, dreams, and challenges. We explore the history of disability in America, its various diagnostic criteria, and how support plans are largely influenced by societal and cultural understandings of neurodiversity and disability during that time.

The mocking and shaming reactions to Gus Walz’s emotional displays at the DNC show that society still has a long way to go when it comes to understanding and accepting neurodivergent behavior.

The good news is that it’s easier than ever to learn. You don’t have to be a clinician or a student to work toward a better understanding of the experiences of neurodivergent people. There are many blogs, YouTube channels, social media sites, and autistic autobiographies where you can learn directly from a neurodivergent person.

This article has been republished from The conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.