Celebrating Disability Pride every day
What is Disability Pride?
"Disability Pride is ALL disabled people right now in this moment in unprecedented history facing Medicaid cuts, devastating health care policies and the active erasure of history."
Disabled people face inaccessibility, discrimination, deadly pandemics and decisive stereotypes every day.
Disabled people show disability pride by coming together and collectively saying, "I'm a disabled human being, and I matter."
Erin Noon Kay Claiming Disability
Why do you care about Disability Pride so much?
Well, I've had to hide for 27 years before truly moving into my own acceptance about my disabled body.
The disabled community is not a monolith, and no one disabled person speaks for the entirety of the vast, diverse disabled community, especially me.
I never have "spoke," for the entirety of our community.
I only represent my own lived disabled experience as a white, disabled woman of privilege.
Yes, even disabled people must acknowledge their own privilege within the community.
You will struggle to accept your disabled body your whole life.
Disability Pride and acceptance is not a linear journey.
When I started my company (solely ran by yours truly), a media company working to educate, advocate and empower the disabled community through media projects and disability pride merchandise.
I was told by friends and family that's a VERY weird idea.
I was told by friends and family that's a VERY BAD IDEA.
The fact people were so *triggered* by the concept of "Disability pride," intrigued me.
I had more proof that ableism is so rampant in our society that the mere mention of loving your disabled body was sending able bodied people over the edge.
And guess what six years later, I'm still told my business is a bad idea BY EVERYONE, everyday.
"You want everyone to be disabled,"
"Your whole personality is disability,"
"Your disability shouldn't be celebrated,"
Again, I say ableism is so embedded in our society that the idea of loving your disabled body as is too much to bare.
Remember disability pride is a celebration of you, not your symptoms.
Disability Pride is grief and anger
Disability Pride is the truth about your disabled existence not toxic positivity of how able bodied people think we should act or be.