Disability pride month is celebrated globally each year in honor of July 26th 1990, when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law in the United States as a direct result of decades of civil disobedience which culminated in the protest known as the Capitol Crawl where hundreds of wheelchair users crawled up the steps of the Capitol building in Washington D.C. Since then, July has become the time to recognize the history, achievements, experiences, and struggles of disabled people worldwide. 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

So, what exactly counts as a disability?

Examples of ableism

How to be an ally to disabled people

 

Summary at the bottom

 

So, what exactly counts as a disability? 

 

A disability is any condition that has substantial and long-term effects on one's day-to-day life. A disability limits or interferes with one's ability to engage in certain tasks or life events. Disabilities can be "visible", meaning they are apparent to others. An example of this could be a disabled person using a mobility aid. Invisible disabilities on the other hand are not immediately obvious. 

 

Some people are born disabled, and some become disabled later in life for example due to chronic illness, trauma, viral infection or injury. According to the World Health organization, an estimated 1.3 billion people (16% of the world population) are currently experiencing disability. However this number is constantly increasing due to aging, war, rising poverty and climate change among other factors. 

 

There are many different types of disabilities. Here are 4 umbrella categories different disabilities fall under:

1. Physical

2. Sensory impairments

3. Behavioural or emotional

4. Developmental

 

Aside from different types of disabilities, they are also looked at in different ways. The four models of disability are the medical model, the social model, the charitable model and the human rights model.

The medical model suggests that a disability is something that is “wrong” with the person - something that needs to be fixed.

The social model focuses on the barriers in our society that prevent disabled people from participating. It suggests that people aren’t disabled by their impairments, but rather those barriers.

The charitable model sees disabled people as a “charity case”, and suggests that disabled people need to be helped. Inspiration porn is a common example of behaviour that falls under the charitable model. Inspiration porn is objectifying disabled people and using them doing something ordinary as inspiration or feel-good content for nondisabled people. You might have seen this phenomenon on social media as a picture of someone with a limb difference working out with a caption such as “they don’t let their disability stop them, what’s your excuse?” or video compilations of deaf children getting their hearing aids for example.

The human rights model on the other hand acknowledges that disabled people are affected by both the actual impairment and by the barriers in our society. It recognizes disability as a natural part of human diversity. 

 

Disability Pride, the movement that highlights acceptance and challenges systemic ableism, is based on the concepts of intersectionality and disability justice, building upon the social model of disability with the purpose of moving away from solely viewing disability through the medical model. It’s a celebration of culture, visibility and community in a world that still attempts to exclude disabled people from public spaces, politics and mainstream media. 

 

Ableism is the systemic discrimination of and prejudice towards disabled folks rooted in white supremacy, neuro normativity (the assumption that there is a single, ‘normal’ way for brains to function), and the belief that disability is something that needs to be fixed as in removed from society. It promotes the capitalistic idea of having to earn your right to exist and sees disabled people as inherently inferior. 

 

Examples of ableism:

• Discriminative language, such as using dismissive words or slurs, misusing disability vocabulary or using disabilities as insults.

• Invalidating people. This can be direct invalidation or for example not believing someone's disabilities and accommodation needs.

• Denying accommodations, help or assistance.

• Only respecting disabled people when they can provide you something. This includes inspiration porn, which was explained in the paragraph about the charitable model.

• Purposely ignoring or staring at disabled people in public spaces.

• Basing people’s worth on their ability to work.

• Touching or moving any disability aids without the user's consent. Such as touching, moving or pushing someone's wheelchair, cane, crutches or similar. Many disabled people consider their aids to be extensions of their body!

 

How to be an ally to disabled people:

• Treat disabled people like you'd treat anyone while not ignoring their possible unique needs or challenges. Disability is a morally neutral and natural part of human diversity. 

• Respect people's space and bodily autonomy. This includes mobility and disability aids. Ask instead of assuming.

• Subtitle your videos and add image descriptions to your posts on social media.

• Protect immunocompromised people by staying home or wearing a mask in public when you’re sick.

• Keep learning about different disabilities from disabled people themselves. If you don’t know where to start, check out the International Disability Alliance organization and our recommendations of people to follow on social media!

• Advocate when it's needed and welcomed, especially by amplifying disabled people’s voices instead of speaking for them.

• Speak up about the ableism you notice, such as inaccessibility and stereotypes

• Attend protests, donate through mutual aid and go to your local disability pride events!

 

Activists and influencers to follow on Instagram:

• Jessica Kellgren-Fozard / @jessicaoutofthecloset

• Tess Daly / @tess.daly

• Samantha Renke / @samantharenke

• Charli Clement / @charliclement_

• Shane Burcaw / @shaneburcaw

• Sweet Anita / @sweetanitatwitch

• Morgan Foley / @morganfoley

• Courn Ahn / @candy.courn

• Charis Townsend / @hipster.sunshine

• Eliza Rain / @disabled_eliza

• Mo / @a_dykeotomy

• Shelby / @shelbykinsxo

• Aubrey Smalls / @aubreysmalls

• Briel Adams Wheatley / @no_limbs_

• Imani Barbarin / @crutches_and_spice

• Alice Wong / @disability_visibility

• Fran Haddock / @franhaddock_ 

 

Summary:

• July is the Disability Pride month, a global celebration of disabled folks.

• Disability is a long-term condition that affects a person’s ability to do certain things either directly or due to systemic barriers.

• While some people are born with disabilities, anyone can become disabled at any time.

• Disability is a natural part of human diversity, not something to be eradicated.

• Each of us can help dismantle ableism by recognising it in our everyday lives! Just like any other kind of systemic discrimination, ableism thrives when we don’t question it.

• Nondisabled allies are incredibly important. If you don’t know where to start, making the world a little more accessible to everyone is a great place to start.

 

To kickstart Disability Pride Month, there is a new collection that stays in the shop permanently.

 

We’d like to hear from you!
Were you familiar with Disability Pride prior to reading this? How are you planning to celebrate, or maybe strengthen your allyship this month?

 

With love,

The Inclusivity Group