Disability Pride Month!

Posted in Current Updates and Recent Life

Hey, guys! Welcome back to The Wheelchair Teen (even though I’m technically not a teenager anymore 😊). HAPPY DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH!!! This month is a time to educate ourselves more about ableism, participate in Disability pride parades, and celebrate disability culture, heritage, and history. But most of all, this month is about waving that Disability pride flag high with a huge smile on your face. I am so excited to share my love of being the way that I am with the world. Let’s get ready to embrace the full beauty of Disability diversity this July.

This is the Disability pride flag
This is the Disability pride flag. The green stripe is for sensory Disabilities, the blue represents emotional and psychiatric Disabilities, the white stands for non-visible and undiagnosed Disabilities, gold is for neurodiversity, and red represents physical Disabilities. The black background commemorates and mourns Disabled people who’ve died due to ableism, violence, negligence, rebellion, illness, and eugenics. It also represents rage and protest against the mistreatment of the Disabled community. The diagonal pattern represents a light cutting through darkness.

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Disability Culture

I wanted to celebrate by talking about Disability culture (click on the underlined examples to see and discover more about them). To me, Disability culture is wheelchair dancing (which I wrote a blog post about and showed examples of here), art created by mouth and foot painting artists, music made by Disabled musicians like Stevie Wonder and Beethoven or ones who play instruments like the piano and French horn with their feet. It’s the spoken word performances of Sins Invalid and routines by Deaf dancers who fuse beautiful sign language together with mesmerising dance moves to express themselves. Basically, it’s a combination of art, music, and literature which celebrates our differences and allows us to express ourselves in a way that only we can.

This is a short video that I think perfectly captures the essence of Disability culture. It’s Disabled people just celebrating all of the different ways that they do things:

I recently discovered Sins Invalid and I’ve since fallen deeply in love with the organisation. Sins Invalid is a Disability justice performance project that centres people of colour, queer, nonbinary, and trans people with Disabilities. Their performances are absolutely incredible. Some of them are spoken word poems or movement to music and things like that. Every piece is defiant and revolutionary in how they highlight ableism and showcase the true beauty of Disability in amazingly creative ways. They do this by unashamedly expressing themselves, even the parts that an ableist society would tell them to hide and be ashamed of. It’s shocking and provocative whilst also being incredibly thought-provoking. I feel like that too is the perfect description of Disability culture.

This is the trailer for their performance film. Be aware – this trailer does contain mild nudity:

This isn’t the only definition of culture though. Another definition is the language, customs, and shared experiences of a community which Disabled people also definitely have. We have one collectively as Disabled people, and ones for more specific conditions like Autistic culture or Deaf culture, for example. The Deaf community’s culture consists of their own language (sign language), sign customs, and a bond from experiencing usually the same kind of ableism. They have their own groups and community gatherings. And the products of this culture are amazing art and inventions that have benefited all of humanity.

A picture of two Deaf women signing to each other
A picture of two Deaf women signing to each other by SHVETS production via Pexels.com

Disability pride month is also about educating others about these types of cultures so that they can understand that trying to ‘cure’ us means potentially erasing incredibly valuable and rich cultures like these. Our culture is not ‘wrong’ or invaluable compared to other cultures. We are not mistakes – we are just different. And Disability pride month is a time to celebrate those differences. 

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Disability History

“As a disabled person, I come from a legacy of resistance and revolution.” – Shayda Kafai. Disability pride month is also about honouring the lives of the Disabled warriors who have been fighting for the rights of people like me across centuries. Even though Disabled resistance goes back much further than the mainstream Disability rights movement, since Disability pride month started to celebrate George H.W. Bush signing into law the Americans with Disabilities Act on the 26th of July 1990, the mainstream rights movement is mostly what is talked about this month.

A collage of photos of protests during the Disability rights movement
A collage I created using photos of protests during the Disability rights movement

During the Disability rights movement: people in wheelchairs would block traffic by lining the streets holding signs, they did numerous sit-ins including the longest sit-in at a federal building of all time, they chained themselves to buses, and undertook many marches fighting for their rights. I’ve seen footage of electric wheelchairs being piled up into the back of police cars during protests. Sometimes there were steps down to the prisons so Disabled protestors would have to be held in police vans for hours instead in the U.K. The Black Panthers supported the movement and helped out, among many others.

Films about the Disability rights movement I recommend for Disability Pride Month:

Me with the film Then Barbra Met Alan on my computer
Me with the film Then Barbra Met Alan on my computer
  • Then Barbara Met Alan (BBC iPlayer)
  • Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix and YouTube)
  • Lives Worth Living (PBS)

Then Barbra Met Alan is a drama film based on the Disability rights movement in the U.K. and the other two are documentaries about the rights movement in the U.S.

Books I recommend for Disability Pride Month:

This year I set myself the challenge of only reading books that are about Disabilities or that feature Disabled main characters. I have read some incredible books as a result, although these are my top 5 Disability pride month picks:

Me with all of the books I recommended
Me with all of the books I recommended  
  • I Am Not a Label: 30 Artists, Thinkers, Athletes, and Activists with Disabilities from Past and Present by Cerrie Burnell
  • Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann with Kristen Joiner
  • Proud to be Deaf: Discover my Community and my Language by Ava, Lilli, and Nick Beese
  • Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century edited by Alice Wong
  • A Different Sort of Normal by Abigail Balfe

I Am Not A Label, Proud to be Deaf, and A Different Sort of Normal are all picture books that can be enjoyed by both young readers and older ones.

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I hope you all enjoy celebrating Disability pride month and helping to spread the word. Disabled people are the biggest minority in the world and diversity isn’t diversity unless we are being uplifted too. To quote Sarah Triano: “Disability Pride represents a rejection of the notion that our physical, sensory, mental, and cognitive differences from the non-disabled standard are wrong or bad in any way, and is a statement of our self-acceptance, dignity and pride. It is a public expression of our belief that our disabilities are a natural part of human diversity, a celebration of our heritage and culture, and a validation of our experience.”

A picture of me in my wheelchair with the Disability pride flag behind me
A picture of me in my wheelchair with the Disability pride flag behind me

My body may not look or work like most nondisabled people, but personally, I don’t see that as a bad thing. I am completely at peace with the things I can’t do and I fully embrace the unique ways I do the things that I can do. Society may not find me and my bent fingers and legs beautiful. It may not believe that there could be power in any of the words I say. But I know that I am beautiful and powerful and that my words can move the world.

Disability pride month is about re-writing the destructive narrative that we are inherently too damaged or broken; that we are undeserving of celebration, joy, and beauty. I am extremely proud to be Disabled. I wear a history of decades of resilience that is threaded into my skin, an eternal awakening of Disability creativity in my mind, and the overwhelming love of my community in my heart. I wouldn’t want to be any other way.

Thanks so much for reading ❤ How will you celebrate Disability Pride Month? What has this post taught you that you didn’t know before and would like to learn more about? I’d love to know in the comment section below. Remember, just posting a picture of the Disability pride flag on your social media can make a big difference. See you next week!

Published by The Wheelchair Teen

I am a black, disabled teenager and my blog shares my personal experiences, some of the struggles and triumphs I’ve been through, as well as posts that educate people about disabilities to help end discrimination against disabled people.

58 thoughts on “Disability Pride Month!”

  1. I am thrilled beyond the horizon of seeing you back where you belong. I have missed your blogs so much. I changed my name from “wheelchairlifeandotherethings” to” bloggerbarnes”. I joined a couple of disability groups on Facebook which are here in South Africa as I wanted to start being active about the way people with disabilities find shopping a total unacceptable mission. Sadly, no answers. But I am sooo pleased to see you are back.

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    1. Thank you so much for this lovely welcoming! It does feel really nice to be back. I now live in London on my own with my sister and I just recently received my ESL teaching qualifications. I have missed you too. It’s good to see you getting involved with communities, keep up the good work. I’m excited to continue reading more about you in your posts. ❤️🌹❤️

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  2. I’m so glad you’re back! Some powerful words and a great message. I’m going to link to your post in my July wrap up (which will only occur in a month of course, but at least we can keep the narrative going 😀). I loved the Olympic video.

    Happy Disability Pride month! Stay amazing (I know you will 👍).

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    1. Thank you so much Roberta for the welcoming 🥰 It feels really nice to be back. I’ve cleaned up my life, I’m now living in London with Olivia-Savannah, I received my ESL teaching qualifications, and now I finally feel mentally prepared to return. Thank you so much also for including this in your wrap up and helping to spread the word. I’ve missed you and reading your posts. Happy Disability Pride month to you too! ❤️🌻❤️

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  3. Ahh love reading your blogs again! Thank you for educating me, disability culture looks so cool – I’ve seen wheelchair dancing before and it warms my heart! I’ve seen it on talent shows before! And thanks for sharing the history of the rights too!

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    1. Thank you! 😊 I’ve missed reading yours too and can’t wait to keep up with them again. It is really cool, I’m glad you’ve seen so much of it before. You’re welcome, I’m happy you were able to learn something 💕

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  5. So good to read your blog! I’ve missed your fascinating posts! You look so much more grown up too! Thank you for educating me about the flag, the films and books… and about Disability Pride month. I love the photo of you with the flag. You are beautiful! If I can I would like to share your blog. God bless you in London. Dawn x

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    1. Thank you so much! I’ve missed reading your posts as well. Yes, I’ve grown up quite a bit too 😊 I’m so happy you enjoyed the post. Feel free too! Thank you so much for re-posting this. God bless you too, Dawn, you’re a true friend ❤️🌼❤️

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  8. Thank you for sharing!!.. sometimes one needs to briefly stop the world, get off and reboot!…happy disability pride every day!!.. you are a role model for many!!.. “Strength doesn’t come from what you can do, it comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t” (Rikki Rodgers)… 🙂

    Hope all is well in your part of the universe, life is all that you wish for it to be and until we meet again..
    May the sun shine all day long
    Everything go right, nothing go wrong
    May those you love bring love back to you
    And may all the wishes you wish come true
    (Irish Saying)

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    1. Thank you! I needed to take a break for me but I feel like now both myself and my content will be better for it. I’m so happy that you found this to be an empowering and informative read. You’re welcome. ❤️🌻❤️

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    1. It’s great to see you too 😊 I’m glad that you appreciated the info on Disability Pride Month. I felt so happy to be on here spreading the word about it. Yes, definitely, we all deserve to be. Thank you so much! I wish you all the best too ❤️🌼❤️

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  12. first post I am reading of yours and wow…. such a wonderful read. So informative and such a lovely share.
    (I’ve learnt about the flag from your post. Thank you for that too)

    🤍✨🤍

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    1. You’re welcome! Wow, thank you so much, it really means a lot that you enjoyed this post so much. Especially since I know yours are so good too. I’m happy that you found it to be informative and lovely. Have an amazing week! ❤️🌸❤️

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  14. This was a rich and powerful post, Simone—a perfect re-intro to the blogosphere. The videos are terrific; I was especially moved by the story of Thomas Wiggins and his artistry. I’m sure there are so many more who never enjoy the benefits their talents should ensure.

    And it’s a delight to “meet” you again—now as a lovely young adult brimming with energy and ideas worth sharing.

    Looking forward to your next post! All good wishes for happiness in London.

    Cheers,
    Annie

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    1. Thank you so much, Annie! I’m so happy that you enjoyed this post. Yes, it felt great to come back with a bang. 😊 The videos deeply moved me so I felt very excited to share them. Thomas Wiggins was indeed an incredible man. Unfortunately, a lot of Disabled artists never got to claim ownership of their own work due to carer/guardian rules back in the day. Aw, that’s such a lovely thing to say. I’m delighted to ‘meet’ you too. 🥰 I’m looking forward to continuing to read your amazing posts as well. Have a lovely weekend!

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  15. Such an important post Simone and actually I had no idea about this special day, even though I suffer hyper-mobile EDS(EDS lll) I really enjoyed the videos and Yes I Can was totally amazing and inspiring.Thank you for this wonderful share!!!

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    1. I’m glad you were able to learn something 😊 Disability Pride Month definitely doesn’t get talked about enough, it’s so much fun! I’m really happy you enjoyed Yes I Can so much. I give educational talks about Disabilities in schools and I always show that video at the end of the talk. It makes me emotional how much the children’s eyes light up when they see it. You’re welcome! Thank you for reading ❤️🌻❤️

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    1. Hello, thanks for the kind welcome! Disability Pride Month was a lot of fun, I’m looking forward to next year’s. I’m in my early twenties now, I just recently crossed the threshold. I think I called this blog The Wheelchair Teen because when I was sixteen I think I thought that I would be a teenager forever, as most teens do 😊

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  19. Thank you for sharing this and drawing attention to how important it is to celebrate the unique creativity that is. This line in particular captured me, and I love the way you wrote it:

    “I wear a history of decades of resilience that is threaded into my skin, an eternal awakening of Disability creativity in my mind, and the overwhelming love of my community in my heart. I wouldn’t want to be any other way.”

    Sadly, I was unaware it had been Disability Pride Month. There is, however, a Disability Pride Week here in New Zealand and I will make sure I celebrate by reading one of your book suggestions, and reading some of the poetry and writings of my friends which include characters with disabilities. Thank you again for the encouragement to celebrate!

    It is so good to read your writings again, and I look forward to reading more of them! 🙂

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    1. You’re welcome! I didn’t know about the New Zealand Disability Pride Week but it sounds great too. I hope you enjoy reading Disability representation during that week, all of these books really spoke to me. I’m glad that you were captured by that line. It’s probably one of the truest things I’ve ever written. It’s lovely to hear from you again and it feels great to be back blogging. I look forward to reading more of yours too! 😊

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