Eliana Satkin

Read the story and watch the video in USA Today

By Diary of a Mom

Let’s talk about the folks who are trying to backtrack on mocking Gus Walz
because they didn’t know he had a disability.
Right. Okay. So …
Let’s start with the fact that he’s a seventeen year old kid who was so proud
of his dad, whom he obviously loves deeply, that he was moved to tears.
That’s beautiful, and a hell of a testament to their relationship.
But sure, some people thought his reaction was over the top and “weird.”
And therefore fair game. Until they heard he has a disability.
(So, to recap, it would have been a-okay in that crowd to bully a typical kid
for *acting atypical* but maybe he should be off limits now that they know
he has a diagnosis.)
Pull up a chair, won’t you, friends?
Being an accepting, inclusive, and not completely shitty human isn’t about
having access to everyone’s medical records. It’s about humanity. It’s about
not having to know that there’s a label for a fellow human’s unique
constellation of strengths and challenges in order to approach them with
compassion.
It’s about not needing an explanation for why someone comes across a little
– or a lot – differently from the average bear in order to indulge their quirks,
celebrate their differences, support their challenges and accommodate their
access needs, to give them extra time and love and leeway.
Labels / diagnoses / identities are important and valid and helpful in a million
different ways, but they shouldn’t ever be the ticket that we demand from
others before granting them entry into the arena of our empathy. The only
fare needed is humanity.
So lay off the kid. Not just because he has a disability, but because he’s
human, and that’s reason enough.