There is so much diversity in the world, but one type of diversity that often gets overlooked or forgotten is disability diversity. That’s why every July in the United States, it’s important to observe Disability Pride Month! A disability is any condition of the mind or body that makes it more difficult for someone to partake in certain activities and may impair their ability to participate easily in normal daily pursuits.
Disability Pride Month is a great awareness month dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments and the importance of people with disabilities in our communities, promoting the visibility of people with disabilities, and honoring the inherent right to a better quality of life for people with disabilities. Learn how you can celebrate and what nonprofits to support this Disability Pride Month!
Disability Pride exists as a response and counteraction against ableism and social stigma. While millions of people around the world and across generations have dealt with or will experience some type of disability at least once in their lives, people with disabilities have been misunderstood and marginalized by society for hundreds of years. That’s why Disability Pride Month is important!
Since the 1800s, organizations by and for people with disabilities have existed, but they exploded in popularity in the 1900s. As more and more activist organizations began to gain traction, it became clear that the nation needed to adopt more comprehensive civil rights legislation to increase independence and fully integrate people with disabilities into U.S. society.
On March 12, 1990, over 1,000 people marched to the U.S. Capitol to demand that Congress pass the Americans with Disabilities Act in a protest that is now known as the “Capitol Crawl.” When they reached the Capitol Building, many activists left their wheelchairs and powerchairs and shed their other mobility aids to crawl up the steps to demonstrate the inaccessibility of public spaces and push senators to vote yes on the act. During the protest, 104 activists were arrested for unlawful demonstration, many in their wheelchairs.
On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law. That year, people celebrated the first Disability Pride Month to mark the passing of the bill. The month was created with the intention to honor every kind of disability, the people who identify with them, and the wide range of supports and types of assistance they need to thrive.
Read the full article written by Tiara Stephan of Qgiv and see ways to celebrate Disability Pride Month and learn the history of the Disability Rights Movement.
