Lutho Pasiya|Published8 minutes agoPrev Reddy’s ‘Qualified Disappointment’: flipping the script on family expectations

Prev Reddy’s debut memoir, “Qualified Disappointment”, is a deeply personal exploration of family expectations, identity and self-acceptance. “The title actually just came to me, believe it or not,” saidcomedianand actorPrev Reddy. “I was having a conversation with a friend and used the words in a sentence, and they immediately stuck with me.” Those two words eventually became the title of his debut memoir, “Qualified Disappointment”, which will be released on July 1.

At its heart, the memoir explores what it means to grow up queer, brown and ambitious in a conservative South African Indian household where family expectations often shape life choices. “The more I sat with it, the more it made sense as the title of the book,” Reddy explained. “A lot of the expectations that our parents and families place on us, especially when it comes to careers and life choices, are often rooted in their own ideas of what is best for us.” According to Reddy, many people understand the pressure of trying to meet standards set by family and community. The moment someone chooses a different path, they can quickly be labelled a disappointment.