by Ali Bates, Tech Advisor
July is Disability Pride Month. For us in the disabled community, it is a time to encourage self-acceptance and embrace our disabilities.
I, for one, struggled with the meaning of this month because I am not proud of my disability. I am, however, proud of everything I have achieved in spite of my blindness, but I have learnt that it is not actually about that.
Disability Pride Month is about starting conversations and raising awareness among people who are not part of the disabled community on how to be better allies and what they can do in support.
This month gives us, as disabled people, a month of increased exposure and, therefore, a chance to educate others about our capabilities rather than our inabilities.
The Disability Pride flag was designed by Ann Magill in 2017 and updated in 2021. Each of the elements represents an aspect of the disabled community:
The charcoal background – to represent those in the community who have been subjected to ableist violence, as well as representing protest in the community.
The “band/road” shape – represents how disabled people face barriers and have to navigate their life according to them.
The different colours in the shape – represent the creativity in navigating life, and how the community is breaking free from authority.
Each of the colours represent the various experiences and needs:
Green – sensory disabilities
Blue – mental illness
White – invisible disabilities
Yellow – developmental disabilities
Red – physical disabilities
Happy Disability Pride Month!
