Disability pride month started as Disability Pride Day back in 1990 in Boston,
Massachusetts, upon the passing of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). The
ADA was a civil rights law prohibiting discrimination based on disability in all parts of
life. The act was a success for disability rights activists who protested for decades
before the bill was passed. The parade switched to an entire month in 2015, when the mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio, declared it to be so.
Why It’s Important
More often than not, society views disabilities as a fault in people. Disabled people
are pitied and considered unfortunate. They are thought of as less capable.
“Disability Pride” rejects these notions and instead views disabilities as a natural part
of human diversity that deserves to be celebrated, given equal rights. Learning about
disabilities and hearing disabled people’s stories is a key part of challenging
systemic ableism and movement building. It’s not just an effect on the brain or body, it’s also a part of people’s identities.
Why This Matters to Abled People
From the moment of birth, then throughout life, physically and mentally able people
never have to think about how they’ll navigate through the day. All spaces are
accessible to them and built for them. They never have to worry about
accommodations, transportation or receiving basic healthcare. Most of the time,
abled people don’t sit by and acknowledge the needs of disabled individuals. From
the classroom to the workplace, to even social lives, disabled people are treated like an afterthought or a joke even though they’re all around us.
How to Celebrate
One of the easiest ways is to talk to your disabled friends and find out what they
need or if there’s anything you could do to make their day easier. Listen to disabled
people’s stories and spread their voices. Follow disabled content creators who speak
about ableism. Think of ways you could make day-to-day activities more accessible
for the disabled people in your life. Donate to disabled people’s healthcare funds.
Learn about disabilities, how they are treated in the law, and the history of activism which bought disabled people the rights they have today.
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