Celebrate Your Disability Pride in July

By Gentle Heron

Disability pride is about recognizing and celebrating our self-worth as people with disabilities. We are a very diverse group of individuals, and we need to band together to support disability justice. Disability pride encourages us to reject ableism, and stop hiding or denying our disabilities because we are ashamed of them.

On July 26, 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This marked a significant step in the progress of persons with disabilities toward independence. The ADA legislation is intended to protect the rights of people with disabilities in five key areas: employment, state and local government facilities and services, public accommodations, telecommunications, and transportation. As such, the ADA is part of the civil rights movement. It not only protects people with disabilities from discrimination, but also allows us to participate in our communities equally with people who do not have disabilities.

Disability Pride Month has been celebrated in July since 1990. Often a city will hold a Disability Pride Parade on July 26 or the last Saturday in July. These parades are meant to celebrate diversity and fight disability stigma. You can participate in a virtual Disability Pride Parade on social media on July 26. Or you can share your Disability Pride throughout July, and the rest of the year as well.

For more information about Disability Pride, please visit the following:

“Disability Pride Toolkit and Resource Guide” from the National Council on Independent Living - https://ncil.org/disability-pride-toolkit-and-resource-guide/

“5 Questions to Think About This #DisabilityPrideMonth” - https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewpulrang/2021/07/15/5-questions-to-think-about-this-disabilitypridemonth/

“A chance to ‘amplify one another’: What is Disability Pride Month?” - https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/07/02/how-disability-pride-month-started-and-what-means/7840560002/

How will you show your Disability Pride?