Happy Disability Pride Month!

July marks Disability Pride Month, an important time to recognise and celebrate the diverse identities, contributions and achievements of Disabled people. Dedicated to shifting narratives and fostering a more accessible society, Disability Pride Month encourages us to come together to celebrate our individual diversity. It is a time for welcoming Disability identity with positivity and challenging the stereotypes that still stand in Disabled people’s way. As a Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisation, this month is very important to us and gives us the opportunity to amplify Disabled voices and experiences. 

What is the history of Disability Pride Month?

Following the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, Disability Pride Month originated in America. Shortly after, the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act was passed in the UK, intending to confront the discrimination that existed within employment, education and public transport and facilities. This was then replaced by the Equality Act in 2010 (in England, Scotland and Wales) that provided many improvements upon the limitations noticed in the Disability Discrimination Act and provided more protection for Disabled people. 

Disability Pride Month has been celebrated in the UK since 2015. It is rooted in these advancements in Disability rights that highlight the importance of the Social Model of Disability, redefining Disability as a product of social barriers and a lack of accessibility, rather than an individual’s impairments. 

The Disability Pride Flag, created by Ann Magill, represents the breaking of these social barriers, featuring diagonal stripes that represent different impairments:

• Red: Physical impairments and conditions
• Gold: Neurodiversity
• White: Non-visible and undiagnosed conditions
• Blue: Emotional and psychiatric conditions, including mental health
• Green: Hearing impaired, vision impaired, and all other sensory impairments 

The charcoal background commemorates those in the community who have experienced ableism whilst also serving as a protest against it.

In the UK, this month promotes inclusion and empowerment, whilst also being an essential platform for addressing the inequalities that still exist in today’s society. This year’s theme is visibility, intersectionality and Disabled leadership – this recognises how disability intersects with gender, race, sexuality and class, seeks to spotlight these diverse Disabled voices, and ensures that Disabled People are at the forefront of the drive for systemic inclusion.

What does Disability Pride mean to local Disabled People?

Putting Disabled leadership in the spotlight means listening to individuals that help to shape the movement as members of the community. Avril, an involved member of the Ruils community and an important driver of social and political change for Disabled people, shared some of her perspectives on the importance of Disability Pride Month to her. 

When asked about her personal meaning of Disability Pride Month, she emphasised the importance of visibility, awareness and acceptance, stating that “it means a month of opportunities for our community to showcase and celebrate diversity, visible differences or hidden disabilities that have limited awareness”. She believes that this month is “a chance to boost awareness for inclusion, equity and accessibility initiatives, encouraging others to celebrate our unique and sometimes similar qualities, and accept us and our differences for who we are”. 

We also spoke to Lauren, a Ruils Campaigns Intern,and asked her about her own experiences, specifically what she wished that a non-Disabled person knew about her and her life. She stated that, “just because I’m Disabled, doesn’t mean I can’t do things that everyone else can do, and that I shouldn’t be treated like a child”. By sharing these perspectives and increasing visibility, we can encourage people to develop a better understanding of the barriers Disabled people face, and hope to reduce prejudiced attitudes.

However, Disability Pride Month is also about championing the positive contributions of Disabled people. Dorian, another Ruils member, voiced their opinions on the celebration of Disability Pride Month. They particularly honoured the sense of belonging in the community, and their praise of the ongoing resilience that Disabled people are made to display. They celebrated “finding the pockets in which we can thrive and trying to carve a space that’s bigger for ourselves in the world,” stating that “acknowledging resilience is really important because acknowledging how hard you spend your whole life trying is something you don’t see often enough”. The community serves an important purpose here as we “draw more attention to that resilience to say look what we can do, look at what we’ve already done ”.

How to get involved

Disability Pride Month is an opportunity for action for everyone. Some ways to celebrate, participate, and show allyship include:

• Be more aware the challenges faced by Disabled individuals 
• Look for and share content created by Disabled people and give them the space to share their stories and perspectives without interruption
•  Be conscious of ableist assumptions and language and challenge this discrimination if you come across them
• If you are disabled and you feel comfortable, sharing your experiences and opinions can be empowering and can be an important act of education for others
• Attend local Disability Pride events!

Ruils hosts an event each year to celebrate Disability Pride.

Mark your calendar for Thursday 30th July from 11:30 am – 2:00 pm at the Disability Action and Advice Centre in Teddington. There will be creative activities and refreshments – a great opportunity to celebrate Disability Pride and meet other local Disabled people!