These days, most worthwhile topics and causes have months dedicated to them. For a few pertinent examples, LGBT Pride Month is typically a June event, Black History Month takes place in February in the United States and Canada, as well as in October in Europe, and Breast Cancer Awareness Month occurs in October.
But what about a month celebrating people who have disabilities, their identities, their history, their achievements, their culture, their struggles, and their significant contributions to society and the world? What about a month that aims to alter how the general population views and defines disability? Is there a month that looks to put a stop to the stigma of disability and promotes the idea that it’s a natural aspect of human diversity so that people living with disabilities can take pride in themselves and embrace their uniqueness?
The answer is “yes,” and it’s called Disability Pride Month.
When is Disability Pride Month, what does it entail, and why is it important?
Disability Pride Month occurs worldwide, usually in July. The disabled community chose the seventh month of the year for the occasion because it recognizes the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), passed on July 26, 1990, when then-United States President George H.W. Bush signed it into law. The landmark legislation smashed many barriers to societal inclusion for people with disabilities.
It all stemmed from an event on March 12, 1990, known as the Capitol Crawl, when over 1,000 people marched to the United States Capitol from the White House to demand that Congress pass the act.
Several activists, including then-eight-year-old Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins, physically demonstrated how inaccessible public spaces were to them by exiting their wheelchairs or dropping whatever mobility aids they used and crawling up the Capitol steps in civil disobedience. Many found themselves under arrest, but it was worth it.
Disability Pride Month is important because people with disabilities represent 15% of the world’s population. Disability doesn’t discriminate; it affects people of every age, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, shape, size, sexual preference, class, education level, and socio-economic standing.
One in four American citizens living with disabilities still suffers from discrimination. Disability Pride Month shines the spotlight on inspiring stories that prove what people with disabilities can achieve when considering inclusion and equality. The type of people highlighted includes people with disabilities thriving as students, workers, community leaders, engaged members of their communities and families, and, most importantly, being given a chance to do all those things.
This year’s poignant and hard-hitting theme is “We Want a Life Like Yours.” The theme intends to reflect the dreams for life experiences the disabled community often finds unavailable.
So, this July, why not join in with the celebrations of the disabled community and embrace this momentous event? You’ll find yourself educated, enlightened, and moved while meeting fantastic people and having fun.