You may have seen people celebrating Disability Pride Month and wondered what this means. Especially if you are neurodivergent it might make you confused as to how, who, what and why we commemorate this.
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Disability Pride Month is an annual celebration that falls in July just after LGBT+ Pride Month in June. Although many disabled people are queer too, the two months are independent from each other.
When it comes to neurodiversity, many neurodivergent people use the term disabled to describe themselves while others do not. It’s personal preference which term you prefer and why. If you are not sure, listen to how someone describes themselves or ask them which terms they prefer if you need to.
How did Disability Pride Month start?
Disability Pride Month was created through something called the social model of disability.
The social model of disability identifies barriers either organisational, attitudinal, physical or communication. It seeks to change these barriers rather than a person’s impairment. When these barriers are removed, disabled people can be independent and equal.
It started as a day of celebration in 1990 in America and was celebrated on the day that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed. Over time, this has stretched to a month rather than one day and is now celebrated across the world too.
The first celebration of Disability Pride Month was in 2015, which marked the 25th anniversary of the signing of the act.
Why do we need a Pride month?
Pride months not only allow us to celebrate our diversity and our strengths but they also mark the dark times. They aim to commemorate our communities while making us more visible. The month can be about celebrating, politics, culture or simply self-growth and acceptance.
It’s your month - you choose!
Aren’t Pride celebrations about flags?
There are a lot of different flags out there including the disability flag. This is a black flag that has different coloured stripes on it.
It was originally designed by Ann Magill in 2019, but has been updated in 2021. The design was changed to straight lines from coloured stripes in a zig-zag pattern, over concerns that it could be problematic to people with epilepsy or migraines.
The colours: each colour on this flag represents a different aspect of disability or impairment:
- Red - physical disabilities
- Yellow - cognitive and intellectual disabilities
- White - invisible and undiagnosed disabilities
- Blue - mental illness
- Green - sensory perception disabilities
Why don’t we have a Neurodivergent Pride Month?
We do! Technically speaking, we do have months and weeks where the focus is on neurodivergence but not in the same way.
Many people mark the Neurodiversity Awareness Month in April or ADHD Awareness Month in October. There is also the Neurodiversity Awareness Week on the last week in March. These months and weeks are a chance to do the same thing where we raise awareness, fundraise or celebrate our diversity and neurodiversity.
Want more help with love, sex and relationships or need to chat?
Undressing Disability and Love Lounge can help!
Undressing Disability is a campaign that aims to raise standards and awareness of sexual health for disabled people. It also shares expert advice, resources, training and education while running campaigns on sex, love and relationships.
The team also run free Love Lounge sessions which provide support and information for people who need a friendly face-to-face chat or want anonymous advice. There is also an Undressing Disability podcast, events and now a new range of accessible sex toys called Quest developed with leading sex toy developers, Rocks Off.