July is Disability Pride Month.
Disability Pride Month is celebrated to honour the history, achievements, experiences, and struggles of the disability community. It marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), landmark legislation that broke down barriers to inclusion in society.
The purpose of Disability Pride Month is to:
- Change the way people think about and define “disability”.
- Break down and end the internalised shame among people with disabilities.
- Promote the belief in society that disability is a natural and beautiful part of human diversity in which people living with disabilities can take pride.
There are many ways to celebrate Disability Pride Month. Some people participate in marches, rallies, and other events. Others simply take the time to educate themselves about disability issues and to challenge ableist attitudes.
Here are some ideas for how you can celebrate Disability Pride Month:
- Learn about the history of the disability rights movement.
- Read books and articles about disability.
- Watch films and documentaries about disability.
- Talk to people with disabilities about their experiences.
- Volunteer your time to a disability-related organization.
- Support businesses owned by people with disabilities.
- Advocate for disability rights in your community.
The Disability Pride flag
The faded black background represents “the anger and mourning over the eugenics and the neglect that disabled people have to fight against.”
Red represents physical disabilities.
Gold is for neurodiversity.
White represents invisible disabilities and disabilities that haven’t yet been diagnosed.
Blue stands for emotional and psychiatric disabilities, including mental illness, anxiety, and depression.
Green is for sensory disabilities, including deafness, blindness, lack of smell, lack of taste, audio processing disorder, and all other sensory disabilities.
No matter how you choose to celebrate, Disability Pride Month is a time to raise awareness about disability issues and to show your support for the disability community.
