Disability Pride Month takes place every July to celebrate and honor disability identity and culture, recognize the anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and push for a world where all people with disabilities are valued and included.

Disability is a natural part of human diversity, and disability pride can mean different things to different people. For some, it is an expression of joy, and for others, it means not feeling shame around their disability. Some celebrate openly and proudly, and others celebrate quietly.

The theme for this year’s Disability Pride Month is “the world works better with us,” which describes how people with disabilities make every aspect of life better. “The world works better with us” is not just a theme it’s a statement. One that declares that people with disabilities are integral to all aspects of life. Work isn’t just about output or what you can produce, but the time you pour into things, and the effort it takes to show up. As the disability community, we’ve known that the world works better with us for a long time. That’s why people with disabilities deserve to be everywhere decisions are being made.

Disability Pride Month History

The first disability pride event was Disability Pride Day in Boston, Massachusetts, in October 1990. Over 400 people marched from City Hall to Boston Common for a rally to demonstrate that “far from tragic, disability is a natural part of the human experience,” according to a statement from the Disability Pride Day Coalition.  

Since then, there have been disability pride parades in cities like Chicago, San Francisco, New York, and Philadelphia. In 2015, New York City became the first city to officially observe Disability Pride Month.  

ADA Anniversary

Part of Disability Pride Month is celebrating the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. July 26th is the anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a landmark civil rights law law that changed disability rights in the United States. This year is the 36th anniversary of the signing of the ADA. 

The ADA is a law that protects people with disabilities in areas of public life, including schools, jobs, transportation, and spaces that are open to the public. The ADA makes sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.  

Last year, we put together a reflection on the ADA with friends and allies in the movement about where we’ve been, where we are, and where we are heading.

Disability Pride Flag 

The disability pride flag is a symbol of resilience, solidarity, and acceptance first designed in 2019 by disabled author Ann Magill. Ann created the flag in response to her disappointment at having attended an ADA anniversary event held in the basement of an independent living center. She wanted to create a flag as a public display of disability pride, instead of being relegated to the basement.  

The current design of the flag was designed with input from the disability community on how to create an inclusive and accessible flag. The first flag design had a zigzag pattern that, when viewed on a screen, created issues for people with visually-triggered disabilities like epilepsy. The new design straightened out the zigzags and turned them into straight stripes that run diagonally across the flag. Ann made the flag public domain, so everyone is free to use it.