July is almost over, but Disability Pride Month deserves one more moment in the spotlight before it wraps up.
Why July Matters
- On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law — landmark civil rights legislation that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, school, transportation, and more.
- More than 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. identify as having a disability (CDC)
As the Month Comes to a Close, What Is Disability Pride?
- It affirms the right of every person to be seen, valued, and included exactly as they are.
- It rejects narratives that treat disability as something shameful or tragic, and instead celebrates disability as a natural, meaningful part of the human experience (Center for People With Disabilities)
Get to Know the Flag
Each stripe on the Disability Pride flag carries meaning:
- 🔴 Red — physical disabilities
- 🟡 Gold — neurodiversity
- ⚪ White — invisible disabilities and disabilities that haven’t yet been diagnosed
- 🔵 Blue — emotional and psychiatric disabilities, including mental illness, anxiety, and depression
- 🟢 Green — sensory disabilities, including deafness, blindness, lack of smell, lack of taste, audio processing disorder, and more (Columbia)
Pride doesn’t end when the calendar flips — but as July closes, let’s carry this conversation into August and beyond. 💜
Interested in learning more?
American Association of People with Disabilities
National Disability Rights Network
Related Posts
