July is Disability Pride Month. Even though I’ve been living life in a wheelchair for 20 years, this is the first year I’ve heard of it. It is in July to celebrate the passing of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), which was passed 30 years ago!!
⠀
In some ways, it’s hard to celebrate disability. I have been excluded, looked over, and bullied. Why should I be proud that I live in a world that was not only not built for me, but in some ways built against me? Why should I celebrate something that will cause me to be discriminated against, to be misunderstood, that affects me every day of my life? The anxiety of wondering how others will treat me, the lack of spontaneity, the ableist mindset of others and even myself. It’s been hard, especially trying to celebrate disability amid a pandemic where people with disabilities are both at higher risk and in at least one case, being withheld not only treatment, but food and water for six days before he passed away.
⠀
In other ways, though, disability has brought me INCREDIBLE, AMAZING things. It has brought me friends who know exactly what I’m going through. It’s brought me an amazing community of SCI survivors, other wheelchair users, and other people with disabilities that I am so grateful for. Both my disability and my brother’s have made me more patient,
empathetic, and accepting. It has brought me laughter, the craziest stories, and a wonderful skill of being able to get through crowds & skipping lines at Disney.
⠀
Despite people who insist I “could use a miracle”, I am so happy and love my life. I don’t need fixing. My life isn’t broken. My life is wonderful. 💕✨
⠀
Thank you to all of the disability right activists who came before me to fight for our rights. Without the ADA, I wouldn’t have equal access to education, restrooms, employment, & more. While the fight is nowhere close to being finished, the determination and passion they showed which lead to the ADA is truly inspiring (unlike a wheelchair user living their life at a grocery store!!)
Leave a Reply