Disability Pride Month is celebrated every July. Pride in disability? For real?

Yes, for real.

As A Couple Takes on MS, Dan and I are proud, but it is complicated. Am I proud that I no longer can walk and the whole world can see I truly am disabled because I need to use a power wheelchair for mobility? Likewise, is Dan proud that he struggles and nobody can see his invisible disabilities triggered by the limited feeling in his hands and feet? 

Absolutely! But, as I said, it’s complicated.

Pride is defined as a feeling of satisfaction derived from one's own achievements or the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated with.

This is the beauty of the month-long celebration that offers opportunities to honor the history, achievements, experiences, and struggles of our disability community. It’s also held in July to mark, commemorate and celebrate the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which President George H.W. Bush signed into law July 26, 1990.

Join us for this episode as we share our broad-based perspectives on Disability Pride Month, including our reservations on claiming pride in our visible and invisible disabilities as well as the empowerment that comes from proudly celebrating our collective accomplishments in spite of our disabilities.  

Here are links to the sites we discussed in our conversation:

• Why and How to Celebrate Disability Pride Month – Article from The Arc, the largest national community-based organization advocating for and with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

• What is Disability Pride Month? – Essay from Inclusive Employers, the UK's first and leading membership organization for employers looking to build inclusive workplaces.

• Disability Pride Month Background – Information and resources from the USDA’s AgLearn to encourage engagement for this annual celebration.

• Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorized with Accessible Air Travel Provisions – National Multiple Sclerosis Society news release about President Biden signing a 5-year FAA reauthorization which includes provisions to make air travel better for the disability community. The bill's passage follows a 387-26 vote in the U.S. House of Representatives and 88-4 vote in the U.S. Senate. And, yes, this bill is among the reasons why Dan and I advocate and are MS activists. It’s also the topic of an op ed piece I wrote for our local newspaper.

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