The UK has been celebrating Disability Pride Month in July since 2015! In the UK nearly 1 in 4 people have a disability, Disability Pride is an occasion to celebrate them, their identity and their contribution to society. It's aim is to also help spread awareness to end the stigma around disability, change how people think about those with disabilities and bring up issues still faced by disabled people on a daily basis.
It's a time to come together and celebrate who we are, and take pride in that.
History
It all started in the United States, when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed into law in 1990 to make discrimination against disabled people illegal. In the UK we have the Equality Act which protects us against discrimination.
While ADA was being debated in the US Capitol building, 1,000 people gathered outside the building in support of the bill. During the ongoing debate, 60 of these supporters removed or got off their mobility aids, wheelchairs, mobility scooters, walking aids. Some were as young as eight years old. They then dragged and climbed the 100 steps up to the entrance of the Capitol building without any support. An amazing display of just how inaccessible our society and world can be.
A Disability Pride day was begun to both celebrate this momentous act and so disabled people can celebrate who they are, no matter any differences. This eventually became a month and here we now are!
Flag
In 2019 a flag was created for the Disability Pride movement, it was modified in 2021 to what we now see below! It has some important symbolism that I'd like to share.
Black field: mourning those lost due to ableist violence and abuse
Diagonal band: "cutting across" the barriers society puts up for disabled people
Red: represents physical disabilities
Gold: represents neurodiversity
White: represents invisible and undiagnosed disabilities
Blue: represents psychiatric disabilities
Green: represents sensory disabilities
So if you see this about it's someone celebrating Disability Pride 😊
What does it mean to you?
The question of taking pride in disability can be a strange one at first.
For me, I take pride I would not be the person I am today because of both my ADHD and my Crohn's. I eat far healthier now because having Crohn's taught me how to look after myself more properly. My ADHD makes me very good at taking in new information and tackling brand new tasks.
Both also opened my eyes to a lot of the barriers society puts up for disabled people and others. Working to help spread awareness of these barriers, and helping to bring them down, gives me so much motivation and pride.
So, I'd like to ask you the question as well and I'd love to hear your answer. What does taking pride in being disabled mean to you?
Finally, there are some events Scope is running for Disability Pride Month. Some are at the Leeds Hub but there is also an online event on the 29th of July specifically for Scope Members.
