Why We Need Disability Pride Month
Little known fact, but July is Disability Pride Month. Here are the reasons why this is important.
People have such a narrow view of what disability is and what it looks like. This lack of knowledge causes the harassment of disabled people. It’s the reason I have a pin that says: “I have a hidden disability.”
If people learned that disabilities are not all the same, and that every disabled person looks, feels, and acts differently, there could be more understanding and less harassment.
Disabled people are harassed for parking in handicap spots.
People treat disabled like it’s a bad word that shouldn’t be said.
Disabled people are treated as a burden and less than human.
We are constantly infantalized and treated like we don’t understand our own condition.
The constant, ableist suggestions. “Have a more positive attitude and you’ll feel better!” Sorry, Becky, but a positive attitude is not going to make any of my physical ailments go away. Also, stop telling disabled people to go gluten free unless they absolutely have to. I have celiac disease and can attest to the fact that a gluten free diet has not helped any of my conditions that are unrelated to celiac disease.
The belittling, the comments of “You don’t look [insert disability here],” “You don’t look sick,” “Of course you can do this thing that you just told me you can’t,” “You don’t need help,” etc.
Disabled people constantly being told that we have to overcome our disabilities. No. That’s not how that works. We have to live with them, find ways to work around them if we can.
Being constantly told that we’re letting the disability win when we need assistance or need to rest, like taking care of ourselves is weak. It’s not, and if we didn’t take care of ourselves, we’d be dead.
Abled people acting like they know more about someone’s disability than the disabled person.
The incredibly common bullying of disabled people.
The use of slurs like “freak” and “retard”.
The use of autistic and other disabilities as a joke and an insult.
Damaging therapies like ABA to “fix” an autistic person and make them act neurotypical.
Neurotypical-normativity: society wanting people to act and look neurotypical and shaming traits that are not.
The mental and physical abuse of disabled people.
Telling disabled people that they should be locked up.
The idea in mainstream media that mentally ill people are dangerous and evil.
The use of overall disability in horror as a bad thing.
Cops commonly shoot mentally ill and autistic people because of the traits they are exhibiting.
Disabled people being killed by strangers and family as “mercy killings.”
The requirement to receive financial aid for disability in America is to be poor. If you make too much money, too much being seen as a little over $1,000 a month, you get your aid taken away from you. The American government does not want disabled people to thrive and lead fulfilling lives.
The idea that if you can’t work, you’re useless and a waste of space.
In America, disabled people will get their aid taken away if they get married.
The ridiculous costs of medical care and medication.
The inaccessibility of care and financial aid.
People forcing disabled people to do things they can’t or shouldn’t, things that hurt and damage us. Yes, I can walk up stairs, but it hurts me to do so. Yes, you can touch a pan that just came out of the oven, but it would hurt. Stop making us touch the hot pan.
That’s all I can think of at the moment. Please feel free to add more.
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