July is officially Disability Pride Month! Disability Pride Month has similarities related to LGBTQ+ Pride. Both celebrate overcoming obstacles and being authentic without having to hide. And both events celebrate and reclaim visibility in public, when historically (and in the present day) the communities have been pushed out and excluded.
Our volunteer Sara Ali reflects on what Disability Pride month means to her in this blog:
“This month celebrates disability and disabled people and champions the diverse lives and journeys they lead. It embraces the notion that disabled people deserve to live a fulfilled life of value. However, it’s not just an occasion to celebrate, it is a chance to raise awareness, confront ableism, challenge misconceptions and end the discrimination and stigma disabled people face on a daily basis.
A bit of background…
Disability Pride month originated in the US following the passing of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) which was put in place to ban discrimination against disabled individuals. This took place in the July of 1990. Similarly, the Equality Act in the UK, protects disabled people’s rights and defend them against prejudice.
Disability Pride Month but each year it is becoming more and more recognised. It has evolved from being an observed single day to a whole month which is celebrated with parades and festivities worldwide. Disability Pride Month doesn’t get much mainstream attention (certainly not the attention it deserves) but has been celebrated in the UK every July since 2015.
This year’s theme given by The Arc’s National Council of Self-Advocates is: “We Want a Life Like Yours”. The theme reflects the universal desire for equal opportunities, independence, and access to life experiences. These can be as simple opportunities to access, employment and education which are often made more difficult or excluded from disabled people. The aim of this theme is not to inspire pity but to inspire change. It is also an opportunity for allies to support the community and share in the experiences of its members.
Ways in which allies can support the disabled community:
•Advocating for equal opportunities in education, employment, and community involvement.
•Promoting the importance of accessible environments and resources that enable full participation in society.
•Supporting the freedom and independence of disabled people.
•Building a society where everyone feels valued, included, and empowered.
Disabled people often deal with complex and conflicting feelings surrounding their disabilities. We may put pressure on ourselves to feel a certain way but we need to remind ourselves it’s okay to feel different emotions at once. It’s okay to be frustrated, upset or angry about your disability yet embrace disability pride.
Like every disability, every disability pride journey is personal. No journey is the same and cannot/should not be compared. To an extent I feel a bit of an imposter writing this. I feel like I am still coming to terms with how being disabled makes me feel and discovering the relationship I have with it. Although I may not be far along my own personal pride journey, I know that there is immense pride to be taken in disabled life.
For now, disability pride for me is about celebrating my little wins and acknowledging how far I’ve come even when I struggle to see it. It’s also about being kind to myself and my body, appreciating it for what it has done realising its capability. I can also reflect on the lessons disability has taught me.
That being said, this Disability Pride Month, be proud in who you are, how far you’ve come, the obstacles and challenges you’ve had to face/overcome to get there and the fact you’ve survived every one of them!
So, what does disability pride mean to you? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments! It would be great for the month to be celebrated more in Sheffield future years as it is in Birmingham for example. Hopefully something to plan for July ’25 as we build our community networking capacity! Thank you Sara for reminding us of the month’s importance!
