Pride & Progress: Embracing the Disability Community
Every July, Disability Pride Month rolls around, giving those within and connected to the disability community (ok, the general public too) a vital opportunity to honour and celebrate the diverse experiences of people with disabilities in all its glory, grief, joy, and beauty.
Disability Pride Month is more than recognising the achievements and contributions of individuals with disabilities (although this is a hugely important part of it). It's about connection, community, raising awareness, and pushing for our respective cultures and societies to strive for equity, disability rights, and inclusion.
Disability Pride Month: A Brief History
Disability Pride Month emerged from the Disability Pride Movement, which advocates for the rights and visibility of disabled humans. It coincides with the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a landmark legislation passed in 1990 that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in various areas of public life.
The ADA was an important step towards equality in the United States of America, however in Australia… well, people with disabilities are ‘protected’ under a myriad of state/territory equal opportunity and anti-discrimination legislation rather than a single, overarching Act - in this spirit, Disability Pride Month is a reminder that there is still so much work to be done in every nook and cranny of our respective cultures and societies, like:
Flexible and inclusive opportunities for education
Flexible and inclusive employment
Improving medical care and disability support services
Improved support for Carers
Equitable access to social and community participation
Political reform and inclusion
…among an endless list of others!
Celebrating Disability Pride Month involves recognising the richness of human diversity and remembering that disability can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime, and that many disabilities are degenerative and terminal, with no care for the languages we do or don’t speak, the colour of our skin, hair, or eyes, our religious beliefs, or where in the world we call home.
It's also a time to acknowledge the unique perspectives and talents that individuals with disabilities bring to our communities. From artists and athletes to scientists and activists, home cooks to writers, gamers and politicians - people with disabilities contribute significantly to the cultural, social, and economic fabric of society and make our world a better place for it - and it’s a community we’re proud to be part of personally, and professionally.
