Disability Pride Month Reflection from the 70s and 80s
Before July slips out the back door, I wanted to share a quick Disability Pride Month reflection—a personal look at what this month means to me as a dad on wheels who grew up in a time when disability rights weren’t a given. July is our moment to be seen, heard, and celebrated. And if this is the first time you’re hearing about it? Stick around—you’re in for a ride.
Now, if you’re wondering, “Wait… there’s a Disability Pride Month?”—don’t worry, you’re not alone. We don’t exactly have parades with floats and glitter cannons (though if someone wants to organize a wheelchair-friendly dance crew, count me in). But July is our month. It’s about embracing who we are—not in spite of our disabilities, but because they’re part of what makes us whole.
So, What Is Disability Pride?
Disability Pride Month takes place every July to mark the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. It’s a time to challenge stigma and celebrate disabled identities—physical, sensory, emotional, visible, invisible, and everything in between.
Disability Pride isn’t about pretending everything’s easy or sugarcoating real struggles. It’s about owning our experiences. It means saying, “This body is valid. My story matters. I’m not broken—I’m whole.”
The Disability Pride Flag (And What Those Colors Actually Mean)
If you’ve seen a flag with diagonal stripes in bold colors, that’s the Disability Pride Flag. It’s not just stylish—it tells a story:
- Red: Physical disabilities (like cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, MS)
- Gold: Neurodiversity (autism, ADHD, learning disabilities)
- White: Invisible and undiagnosed disabilities
- Blue: Psychiatric disabilities
- Green: Sensory disabilities (Deaf, blind, low vision)
- Black background: Mourning for those lost to ableism and violence—and a call to keep fighting for equity
The flag doesn’t sugarcoat. It reflects both our diversity and our grit.
A Disability Pride Month Reflection from the 70s and 80s: Life Before the ADA
I was born in 1970, which means I was about 3 years old when Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act was passed. That made me part of the generation who came of age in a country that legally did not guarantee access, inclusion, or accommodations for disabled people.
Yes, I had IEPs (Individualized Education Plans), but let me be clear: it took a full-time advocacy effort from my parents just to make that happen. My mom basically earned an honorary degree in special education law, and my dad mastered the art of not backing down when things got tough.
I also had access to a wheelchair-accessible school bus, but the nearest accessible high school was 45 minutes away. That meant waking up at 5:00 AM every morning and getting home close to 6:00 PM—a full-day commitment just to get an education. Meanwhile, my non-disabled classmates were sleeping in and walking five minutes to school. I was basically a teen with a full-time commute before Uber was even a word.
By the time the ADA was signed in 1990, I was 20 years old. I had already spent two decades navigating a world that wasn’t built for me—curbs with no cuts, doors with no automatic openers, bathrooms I couldn’t use. Inclusion wasn’t assumed. It had to be demanded.
This Disability Pride Month reflection reminds me just how far we’ve come—and what it took to get here.
Why This Disability Pride Month Reflection Matters to Me
Today, I’m proud to be a dad to an amazing son, a husband to an incredible wife, and the voice behind Wheelchair Daddy. I write about parenting with a disability, accessibility in everyday life, and the humor that keeps me going.
Disability Pride Month gives me a chance to reflect on how far we’ve come—and how far we still need to go. My son doesn’t think it’s unusual that his dad uses a wheelchair. That alone is a sign of progress.
But we’re not there yet. There are still schools that fail to accommodate, employers that overlook talent, and buildings that remain out of reach. That’s why Disability Pride Month matters. It’s not just about awareness—it’s about action.
Final Thoughts: Rolling Forward with Purpose
As July comes to a close, I want to leave you with this:
Disability Pride isn’t just about celebration—it’s about visibility, history, and momentum. We honor the advocates who paved the way, and we commit to pushing forward—for inclusion, for access, and for equity.
If you’ve never celebrated Disability Pride Month before, this is your sign.
Call to Action: Join the Movement
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💬 What does Disability Pride mean to you?
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