Reconsidering Disability Pride Month

As Disability Pride Month comes to a close, I am reminded of the sentiment of Austrian novelist and playwright Stefan Zweig, who communicated a central idea that I have embraced, the knowledge that as a person with a disability, my relationship with the larger disability community was not founded in either blood or tradition, but rather the idea to be understood as a valued member of society. ?This understanding can have many interpretations that not only define Disability Pride but continue to shape the culture it inhabits. ?We are hearing from all corners of the disability community that Disability Pride Month is not only a marker but a moment to celebrate disability excellence while recognizing that there is more work to be done. However, a fundamental question that still needs to be answered is how must we continue to assemble a strong foundation to amplify growth and create momentum for dignity, self-respect, and greater self-esteem.

?Perhaps one way is to draw upon the meaning of the Disability Pride Flag itself. This multicolored flag illustrates the fact that this is not a homogenous community but rather has clear distinctions that characterize its very diverse nature. Each band highlights key elements of the community, with green representing sensory disabilities that include deafness and blindness, red representing physical disabilities, gold neurodiversity, white invisible disabilities and those not yet diagnosed, and blue emphasizing emotional and psychiatric disabilities, including mental illness, anxiety, and depression. ?I think it is time to expand the meaning of this flag to embody elements of Disability Pride that the community uses as a beacon of hope, an aspirational token pushing them toward the greater possibility of achieving disability excellence.

?Much like any symbol, the Disability Pride Flag allows us to imbue more than one form of meaning onto it. I feel much like the branches of a tree each band can embody more than just its original intent. ?As the meaning of the disability narrative continues to expand, so too can the meaning of the flag itself. So, in the spirit of expansion leading towards greater disability power and disability excellence, let us reconsider these definitions and expand the possibilities.

?Looking at this expansion, we must ask ourselves what the central themes are in the ongoing journey toward Disability Pride. Through this lens, we can look at these bands and define them in new ways. Perhaps as such, where the Red band represents Disability Justice and Advocacy, the Gold band symbolizes Representation and the Arts, the Green represents Business and Commerce, while White represents an open space yet to be revealed, a place of possibility, and the Blue identifies innovation. Each band signifies a theme of continued growth across the disability ecosystem. In the original flag, the black background commemorates the anger and mourning over eugenics and the neglect that people with disabilities must fight against. This should remain, indicating that there is a road still ahead yet to travel and a reminder of how the past must galvanize the community toward a better future.

?Disability Pride Month and the Disability Pride Flag are both festive reminders to celebrate our past while imagining our future. It is a marker certainly, but a glaring reminder that there is more road to travel. We must use these reminders as a point of departure and continue to evolve.

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