It is July, which means it is time to celebrate Disability Pride 2024, and I am reflecting on what Disability Pride means to me. I first heard of Disability Pride in 2021 and honestly thought, how can I be proud of being disabled?
Why The Term Pride?
Upon first learning about Disability Pride, I questioned what there was to feel proud of in being disabled. However, over the past three years, I’ve come to realize that Disability Pride is about embracing and celebrating our identities. I recognized my own internalized ableism; I judged myself for my disability and viewed myself as less. It has taken two years to begin the process of unlearning this ableism. July has become a time for me to demonstrate solidarity, increase awareness, and confront ableism in society.
While I am on a journey of loosing my sight, this journey has given me so much that I just wouldn’t have if I hadn’t started loosing my sight. I am not going to pretend that loosing my sight is easy, it isn’t. At the moment I am struggling with my mental health as I adjust to the latest level of sight loss. It isn’t the logical side of loosing your sight, it is the emotional side that is really challenging. However, when I take a step back, I can see a whole range of positive items I wouldn’t have encountered.
What am I proud of?
Over the past decade I’ve developed a deeper understanding of myself, various disabilities, and how to improve as a person. I’ve discovered methods to enhance my patience, resilience, and to continually acquire new skills and viewpoints. I’ve learned to use a screen reader, read Braille, and remain calm when trains are cancelled.
I have found my voice and ways to contribute to society, from being a trustee at Lincoln and Lindsey Blind Society, to blog posts on BBEB.com and appearences on podcasts such as Double Tap, each providing me with a sense of purpose and comfort that at least one person will gain something from my experience. See my media appearences
In the workplace, I am recognized across all levels for advocating for accessibility and disability inclusion. I am privileged to have my voice heard by the CEO, brand and marketing teams, operational teams, IT and software teams, and Human Resources. Being the catalyst for change is not easy, and progress doesn’t always happen as swiftly as I would prefer. Nonetheless, the feedback is encouraging, and I am witnessing the beneficial changes taking place.
I take pride in being disabled, and throughout Disability Pride 2024, I will persist in raising awareness and advocating for societal change to eliminate the barriers faced by disabled individuals.
Disability Pride Flag Origin and Meaning
The disability pride flag is a colourful and meaningful banner that celebrates the diversity and solidarity of the disability community. It was created by Ann Magill in 2021, after she was disappointed by the lack of public visibility of the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The flag was updated in 2022 to take into account feedback from the disability community. Read Ann Magill’s Readdit Post.
Here’s what the colors symbolize, in order of appearance from top to bottom:
- Green is for sensory disabilities.
- Blue represents emotional and psychiatric disabilities.
- White stands for non-visible and undiagnosed disabilities.
- Gold is for neurodiversity.
- Red represents physical disabilities.
The stripes are displayed on a faded charcoal black background which commemorates and mourns disabled people who’ve died due to ableism, violence, negligence, suicide, rebellion, illness and eugenics. The dark background also represents rage and protest against the mistreatment of the disabled community. According to the creator’s statement, black is also a connection to the pirates’ Jolly Roger flag, a general symbol of rebellion.
The flag also has straight diagonal stripes that show how disabled people cut across barriers and evoke the concept of light. The colours, the stripes, and the background have been carefully chosen and arranged to avoid flicker, nausea, and confusion for people with photosensitivity, migraines, or colour blindness. The flag is important and symbolic for the disability community, as it raises awareness, acceptance, and pride. It also honours the lives and struggles of disabled people who have faced oppression, violence, and neglect.
Read more Disability Pride Flag: Origin, Colors and Significance (goodhousekeeping.com)
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