Disability Pride Month
Disability Pride Month is celebrated every July since its creation in 2015. This month is a wonderful is an opportunity for everyone to honor the achievements, experiences, struggles, and history of those with disabilities. Today, 1 in 4 U.S citizens have a disability and suffer from many different forms of discrimination because of it. By celebrating disabilities we are able to not just bring awareness, but respect and understanding which allows for everyone to properly support their abilities and potential as individuals. The theme of 2024 is "We want a life like yours.". This theme encompasses the life experiences that are typically denied to those who have disabilities. Stories of people thriving in different positions and roles such as students, employees, leaders, engaged/active community or family members, and more as a way to showcase that those with disabilities are more than capable of flourishing when recognized.
"National Disability Pride Month also symbolizes the drive toward independent living for individuals with disabilities, a concept that extends beyond mere physical independence. It encompasses the capacity to make choices, contribute to society, and enjoy an equal opportunity to live a fulfilling, self-directed life." Disability Pride Month, reminds us that this community is indispensable to our society as whole. Taking the time to nationally recognizing this community through this month is one milestone on the journey to accessibility and equality for all.
Disability Pride Flag was created by the writer Ann Magill in 2019 as a way to bring disability rights to the forefront of the public eye. The initial flag had the bright colors of green, red, white, yellow, and blue zigzagging across a black background. The zigzags are meant to represent the way those with disabilities must maneuver around the barriers they face. After receiving some feedback that the zigzags and coloring triggered those with visually impairments, the design was remade with straightened lines and a muted color tone. The flag is considered a collaborative design effort, with Magill saying the new design truly represents the represents the community because the community came together to solve a problem. Magill has waived her copyright and entered this flag into the public domain, so that everyone is free to use and remix it.
- Red - physical disabilities
- Gold - neurodiversity
- White - invisible disabilities and disabilities that haven't yet been diagnosed
- Blue - emotional and psychiatric disabilities, including mental illness, anxiety, and depression
- Green - for sensory disabilities, including deafness, blindness, lack of smell, lack of taste, audio processing disorder, and all other sensory disabilities
The faded black background mourning and rage for victims of ableist violence and abuse. The diagonal band cuts across the walls and barriers that separate the disabled from normate society, also representing light and creativity cutting through the darkness.
