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Celebrate... Disability Pride Month
Posted 28/06/24
What is Disability Pride Month?
Disability Pride Month happens every July and has been celebrated in the UK since 2015. It’s an opportunity to celebrate people with disabilities, their identities, their culture, and their contributions to society. It also seeks to change the way people think about and define disability, to end the stigma of disability, and to promote the belief that disability is a natural part of human diversity in which people living with disabilities can celebrate and take pride. It's a chance for people with disabilities to come together and celebrate being themselves, no matter their differences. It's also a chance to raise awareness of the challenges they still face every day to be treated equally.
The concept of Disability Pride was born out of the Disability Rights movement and based on intersectional identity politics and social justice. The core concept of Disability Pride is based on the idea of reworking the negative narratives and biases that frequently surround the concept of disability. Disability Pride is a response and counteraction against ableism and social stigma. The concept has roots in the same social theory that backs LGBTQ Pride and Black Pride. Disability Pride is a movement intended to celebrate the history of the Disability Rights movement and people with disabilities as positive contributors to society.
The Disability Pride Flag
The Disability Pride Flag was created by Ann Magill in 2019. The original flag featured a lightning bolt design and bright colours on a black background. The flag was redesigned in 2021 with muted colours and straight stripes in response to feedback from those with visually triggered disabilities to make the flag more accessible. The flag now comprises a number of different elements, each symbolising different aspects of the disability experience. The coloured stripes are placed diagonally across the flag to show how disabled people have to cut across barriers in society.
How is Disability Pride Month celebrated?
The first Disability Pride Parade in the UK was held in Belfast in 2014 and Brighton was the first place in England to hold one in 2017. Events are now held locally around the country in July. It's a chance for people with disabilities to come together and celebrate being themselves, no matter their differences. It's also a chance to raise awareness of the challenges they still face every day to be treated equally.
Want to learn more?
Find resources and ways of getting involved in Disability Pride Month at The Arc.
CTSI is fully committed to improving Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in our organisation, throughout our membership and across the consumer protection landscape. Find out more about what we’re doing to drive forward a diverse and inclusive culture, visit the CTSI Equality, Diversity and Inclusion page.
