source: GoodGoodGood
#DisabilityPrideMonth is celebrated every July in honor of the month that The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed in 1990.
Disability Pride Month is a time for all disabled people to unapologetically celebrate our bodies as they are. Whether you are disabled or an ally, Disability Pride Month is full of so much to celebrate.
Learn about disability-first language
When talking about or describing people in the disability community, you’ll often hear two different phrases being used:, “disabled people” vs. “people with disabilities”. The interchanging nature of these phrases perpetuates the lack of autonomy disabled people have over how we are represented and seen.
With both being common, it’s hard to know which one is the most appropriate to use.
Many people learned that People First language (like “people with disabilities”) was most appropriate to use, because it centered the person first and foremost. For years, though, the disability community has been pushing for the use of Disability First language. The phrase “disabled people” puts disability at the front and center of who we are, and gives us the agency to live authentically with our diagnoses.
People First language, or the phrase “people with disabilities” otherizes and separates our disabled identity from who we are. This language and the use of phrases like “differently abled” perpetuate the idea that disability is synonymous with “less than”. We do not need different words to make disability more palatable.
Learn about ableism
Let’s get real – living as a disabled person is hard. Not only is there the lived reality of having a chronic illness, but our society has a long way to go when it comes to dismantling the negative connotations around disability.
Diversability is an amazing platform founded by Tiffany Yu, an activist who became disabled at 9 years old. The company was founded by and for disabled people along with those who support us.
Follow disability activists
We each have an opportunity to learn from disability activists – this month and all year long – to broaden our perspectives and deepen our understanding of the challenges faced by disabled individuals.
GoodGoodGood has compiled a list of incredible disability activists fighting for increased visibility, policy changes, accessibility improvements, and social acceptance. Many of them share their work publicly through Instagram, newsletters, blogs, or books. These are activists that each of us can learn from and support – offering a pathway for us to become better allies and advocates.
A few of these activists include:
Judy Heumann, Andrea Dalzell, Wesley Hamilton, and Kevin Patel.
Public Allies is dedicated to disrupting systems that impact marginalized communities, while listening, learning, and working across differences to build the common good. Join us.