Disability Pride Matters
July is Disability Pride Month. It is celebrated worldwide, including in the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and other countries across the globe.
More than three decades ago, President Reagan officially declared Proclamation 5613, which marked the first official awareness for people with disabilities. In 1990, President Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law. That same year, the first Disability Pride Day was also held in Boston to commemorate this historic moment.
These actions called people to provide understanding and support for the disabilities community. On the other hand, many of us still think people with disabilities are a minority group. In fact, according to the World Bank publication, 15% of the world’s population is identified as disabled. The percentage of the disability population is even higher in the United States. According to official estimation, up to 1 in 4 adults in the United States have some disability and would need additional support ranging from mobility to daily self-care.
Many disabilities are not visible from the outset. That stigma-breaking identity is reflected in disability’s pride flag. The red represents the physical disability; gold means neurodivergent; white symbolizes invisible and undiagnosed; blue acts as a psychiatric disability, and green reflects sensory disability.
Reading disability’s shocking infographics and stunning flag reminded us of a WELL feature.
“..projects that provide public use spaces and community programming can encourage social interaction and cohesion, community empowerment and collective feelings of ownership, reducing community health risks like stress, depression, heart disease, stroke, and chronic disease and improving physical and mental health, happiness and healthy behaviors.” - WELL C11, Civic Engagement
Being aware of the population with a disability is one thing; embracing disability as our true self is another. We might have all gone through moments of being disabled in our life. Once we take pride in our whole selves, including all chronic or temporary disabilities, then we can understand our limitations and still love who we are.
On this historic month, we place these cards on our desks. May the WELL standard be our reminder so we don’t forget to plan a space suitable for everyone.
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By the way, the original disability flag was created by Ann Magill in 2019. It comprised zigzagged and bold five-color stripes (red, gold, white, blue, and green). The flag design was updated into a more muted color and a straight diagonal band that stands for intracommunal solidarity. If you are interested in other ways of civic engagement, why not visit Respect Ability, an organization fighting disability stigmas?
