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On July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law, creating a new era of change for people with disabilities. Since then, the month of July has been Disability Pride Month. Although it is not recognized as a national holiday, disabled people celebrate in cities across the U.S., including San Francisco, New York and Chicago.
When we hear stories of people with disabilities in popular culture and media, we often hear stories of pity, tragedy or of "overcoming". Rarely do we hear success stories – or even just ordinary stories! This is in large part because society has often framed disability as something to be afraid or ashamed of.
The Disability Pride Movement is about changing that perception. Switching up the narrative to embrace disability identity and culture, and to recognize that disability is a natural part of our human diversity.
In his book Exile & Pride: Disability, Queerness, & Liberation, Eli Clare expands on this idea: “Pride works in direct opposition to internalized oppression. The latter provides a fertile ground for shame, denial, self-hatred, and fear. The former encourages anger, strength, and joy. To transform self-hatred into pride is a fundamental act of resistance.”
This July, we are wishing you all joy and comfort in community, time for learning and remembering disability history and spaces for dreaming up and working toward accessible futures.
~ Disability Access and Inclusion Office
Image Description: Image created by disabled artist Jen White-Johnson, showing letters that spell Disability Pride Month next to a black and white clenched fist.
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