Caught between tears and stoicism

My latest article in Psychology Today

Disabled individuals face conflicting expectations about emotional expression. Gus Walz's story reveals the bias and challenges around being authentic.

Read full article at: 
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/giving-voice/202409/caught-between-tears-and-stoicism

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Comments

The best piece I've read on the national convo about Gus Walz. Hari Srinivasan's perspective and insights, as a neurodiverse individual, bring a new level of depth into the dialogue

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Hari Srinivasan, a member of the Autism Society's Council of Autistic Advisors, discusses the public reaction to Gus Walz at the Democratic National Convention, exploring the implications of reactions and the way in which the public criticizes people with disabilities both for showing too much or too little emotion. He reminds us that emotional expression is a human experience, not defined by disability.

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Another powerful piece by Hari Srinivasan, with important reflections that serve as a call to action.

For me, it's a reminder that listening to and trusting the experiences of Autistic people is at the heart of Autism Acceptance - and that acceptance and disability justice are at the heart of health, welllness and so many of the issues in our schools, homes, workplaces, and communities.

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I’m so happy you wrote this piece. “What we should celebrate isn’t that Gus is neurodiverse and shows emotion, but that he is a teenager, proud of his father, and unafraid to express it. In a world where emotional expression is often suppressed or critiqued, especially in public figures and their families, his response is a refreshing reminder of our shared humanity.” Amen!

Hari Srinivasan, excellent piece. Thank you for writing this. Gus's open emotions during the DNC event was authentic and beautiful. I'm glad it was captured and showed what kind of man Tim Walz is having shared in the raising of Gus.

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Your article on Psychology today is fantastic and I as a dad of a 10 y.o kids with autism and ADHD realized about how sometimes I have asked my son "calm" down when he get overly emotional. I went through a lot of emotions while I was reading your article including guilt, shame and finally relief. It has been a constant learning journey and I am trying to be a better parent but your article is like a window into his brain, giving me some deeper insights into how differently he might be built. Please continue writing