Disability Pride initiatives and the July observance of Disability Pride Month in the U.S. aim to celebrate the Americans with Disabilities Act and spread awareness of disability, inclusion, and accessibility both in and out of the workplace. It is primarily celebrated within the United States, however, Disability Pride can be celebrated around the globe.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was drafted in 1988, brought through Congress within the next two years, and was ultimately passed in 1990. In its earliest form, the act aimed to protect those with disabilities from discrimination both in and out of the workplace.
The first Disability Pride Day was held in Boston in 1990 to coincide with the passing of the ADA. Later, in 2004, the first Disability Pride Parade in the U.S. was held in Chicago. Disability Pride did not become a full month until 2015 – when Mayor Bill De Blasio designated July as Disability Pride Month in New York state to celebrate ADA’s 25th anniversary. Aside from 2020, when public gatherings were cancelled, NYC’s Disability Pride Month Parade has become a major annual celebration that pulls in people from all around the world.
Disability Pride is associated with self-esteem, pride and confidence and is a month of celebration, education and activism to highlight that the disabled community should not be ‘other-ed’ or left behind.
