The Disability Pride Flag and Me

July is Disability Pride Month and I wanted to discuss some things that might help people better understand my life and disability in general. Then, I plan on tying it all into a lesson about writing. Interested in seeing how I might do that? Well, read on, my curious creatives!

My husband, myself, and our boys are all disabled. I know that may sound unbelievable or pity-inducing to some, but that is exactly why I bring it up. Many people only think of disabilities as being blind, deaf, or wheelchair-bound. But there are hundreds, if not thousands, of conditions that leave a person disabled. And many of them are invisible or not apparent just by looking at someone. That means that people all around you are living with physical, mental, and emotional conditions that do not allow them to meet society's expectations of "normal functioning."

I have struggled in the past to label myself as disabled. It felt shameful and weak. But, that is what Disability Pride Month is about: helping people understand that there is nothing to be ashamed of. You can have a fulfilled, happy, and purposeful life with disabilities. You do not have to try to fit into the world as it is. We can work together to change the world to fit into a more inclusive humanity.

I love the meaning and symbolism behind Disability Pride Month and the Disability Pride Flag because it represents everyone with a disability. It does not exclude anyone for "not being disabled enough." When I learned what each color stood for on the flag, I was able to become comfortable sharing that I am disabled. The Disability Pride Flag helped me to feel included and understood. So, I'm sharing that symbolism here in the hopes that it might help someone else shrug off any shame they feel about being disabled.

The Disability Pride Flag was created in 2019 by Ann Magill, who has cerebral palsy. She grew tired of disabled people being shunned or hidden away, so she made a flag that would honor and celebrate all disabilities. The diagonal band represents the barriers we must cross in an ableist society and each color represents a different group of disabilities.

Black/Charcoal Gray: those who have died because of misdiagnoses or malpractice, violence against the disabled community, or not receiving the care and accommodations they need.

Red: Physical disabilities

Gold: Neurodivergence (autism, ADHD, etc.)

White: Invisible or undiagnosed disabilities (includes chronic illnesses as legitimate disabilities)

Blue: Psychiatric or emotional disabilities (anxiety, depression, other mental health conditions, etc.)

Green: Sensory disabilities (includes deaf, blind, loss of taste or smell, Sensory Processing Disorder, etc.)

My family and I are a mix of gold, white, blue, and green. So yes, we are all disabled. And there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, knowing that we are disabled has helped immensely. We no longer wonder why life seems to be so much harder for us sometimes. We've learned not to measure our self-worth by societal expectations and can live in a way that works best for our family.

Now, I promised earlier that I would tie this all in with writing. I'll start by saying that the Disability Pride Flag was not created haphazardly or with little thought. Ann Magill created the flag with intent. If you want your audience or your readers to connect with your writing, you must also create with intent. Think of how to include as many people as possible. The writers at Disney and Pixar understand that while their target audience is children, they must write in a way that allows all generations to feel understood.

That may seem like a tall order, but it is possible if you think about your intent. What message do you want your writing to convey? Who are you trying to represent? Focus on the intent with which you create and you will find that your writing has a bigger impact.

So, consider this week how you can write with more intent. And, find ways to celebrate or acknowledge Disability Pride Month! Let's raise awareness and fight stigma so that everyone can feel included and understood.