JULY IS DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH
At Our Community Collective, we are proud to advocate for inclusivity for all, including our members with varying abilities. This is one reason CoCo exists as a worker-owned organization. All of us understand what it is like to work for companies that do not recognize or seek to accommodate disabled workers.
We believe that everyone deserves respect, dignity, autonomy, and equitable opportunities. Disability is not a bad word, but as a term it is a huge umbrella covering a spectrum of abilities. Disability doesn’t look one way and one size truly does not fit all when it comes to celebrating and advocating for equity for disabled individuals. This is a wonderful time to recognize and celebrate the diverse needs, abilities, experiences, and achievements of the folks in your life as well. If you don’t have a disability yourself, you probably love someone who does.
WHY PRIDE?
Awareness is simply not enough. People are aware disabled folks exist but our differing abilities are also worthy of celebration! Not every disabled person has a “sad life” and pity is not compassion. What is considered a disability depends on our unique environments and our cultural norms. We may be conditioned to treat disabled people as if they’re weak or requiring our help before we ask if they’d like assistance. We are here to be loud and proud about our diverse abilities and show people disability is not something to hide away or be ashamed of–regardless of what messages we may have unconsciously absorbed in the past.
In the United States, ableism is so baked into our culture that it takes active unlearning to see how many harmful messages about disability are repeated as fact. Some examples include:
the idea that disability is a bad word to use for ourselves or others.
use of disabled peoples’ stories for inspiration porn without acknowledging their systemic barriers we must collectively challenge
prayer as an excuse to ignore material needs and accommodation
infantilizing or speaking for disabled people who can speak for themselves
assuming a disabled person needs help and grabbing their mobility device
Every disabled person has experienced some form of “benevolent” ableism where someone tries to be an ally but ends up doing more harm than anything. In some cases, this form of ableism is more insulting than blatant acts of exclusion. Always consider how you’d want to be treated and get consent before assisting someone you perceive as having a disadvantage in the environment you are in.
Yes, Pride! Because nothing is wrong with us! Including those among us who cannot work. We are more than our labor. We are more than the education we may provide to allies. We are more than an inspiring story or reminder to abled people that “life could be worse”--yes, people really say this and it is incredibly ableist to assume disabled folks cannot lead fulfilling, beautiful lives! We are more than our needs and our struggles. We have pride because our differing abilities are not shameful, they make us human.
HOW WE ARE CELEBRATING
We are committed to fostering a world where disability is seen as a natural part of human diversity, where everyone has equal access and opportunities to thrive. We celebrate our neurodiversity and varying abilities not only during the month of July but every day when we show up for each other and within our communities of which we’re apart.
For this month, we are sharing the stories of disabled artists, thinkers, activists, and workers on our social media accounts–past and present. Education and awareness is only one part of our goal for July. We are also being loud about celebrating our differences in abilities. We are sharing facts and data highlighting the many intersections of disability including race, class, and gender identity.
We are also encouraging our online community members to share their own stories and passing the mic to disabled folks with insights on ways we can all help them thrive with their specific needs. It is important to remember that disabled folks are not in charge of educating the general public and are not a monolith in terms of what they consider helpful. When disabled people choose to share information related to their needs, all of us can take note and dig deeper on our own time. No one expects you to know what you do not yet know but the onus is on us to learn and integrate that education. Everyone wins when we prioritize accessibility as we become aware of other peoples’ needs.
OUR INVITATION TO YOU
Let our Disability Pride Month be a time to engage intentionally with disabled creators and new information they may be sharing. Be respectful in your interactions and understand not everyone is up for answering personal questions. Brush up on accessibility tools and share what you learn with your loved ones. Begin the habit of using alt text so it becomes second-nature when you post. Together we can raise awareness, challenge misconceptions, and promote a more inclusive society that embraces and values people with disabilities.
Join us in celebrating Disability Pride Month as we honor the many disabled people and allies who have fought for inclusion. May we continue the fight for a future that prioritizes accessibility and embraces people of all abilities!
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