Disability Pride Month
July marks Disability Pride Month – a time for the disabled community and their allies to embrace their identity and to increase public understanding for non-disabled people to do the same – and yes, contrary to the widespread misconception, this does include those who live with disabilities that aren’t visible on the surface.
A lot of you may not know about this annual event because it’s not celebrated or championed in mainstream media half as much as it should be, and living through the current wave of demonisation and disbelief of disabled people under our government, it’s clear to see why.
I’ve never been hugely into making a fuss about my disability; as the years have churned I’ve grown comfortable enough to exist alongside my chronic illness because it was too painful (both viscerally and literally) to hold that part of me to such high standards of box-checking and conforming to expectations of what defines being “disabled”, but it feels more important than ever to highlight and debunk that pressure in these times, when disability is treated as being inherently bad and we’re forced to believe disability is a mindset problem led by disincentives rather than a reality shaped by health, environment, and systemic neglect.
The Disability Pride Flag
Created by Ann Magill
Disability Pride Month has fallen at an unfortunate time in 2025, where the air is particularly fraught with ableism and shameful state rhetoric has carved a path for people to be emboldened by contempt they’d typically keep to themselves. When our conditions are doubted, our needs depicted as burdens, and our lives grown acclimatised to relentless attacks that have become common and socially accepted, it’s not unusual to feel anything but pride. However, there’s plenty of reasons to reject this, to prove these narratives wrong, to celebrate disabled joy and to invite non-disabled people to become better and more educated by helping to frame this understanding.
With that in mind, here’s 12 reasons you should feel pride in the disabled experience:
You’ve faced your health struggles day after day, often carrying silent suffering and weathering the storm alone – and every time, you get back up. You’ve survived every single one of your worst days thus far!
You move through a world that isn’t designed for you with great courage, creativity and persistence. Whether your disability is congenital or you’ve had it thrown at you, the sort of resilience, adapting and problem-solving that comes with navigating an unjust and inaccessible society that’s set up to fail your essential being is not to be taken lightly!
Your unique way of communicating and journeying through life with a disability has produced innovation and ingenuity that others don’t even recognise. To know us, you have to become us!
You push beyond barriers that many never have to consider, you deal with things most abled people don’t even think about, and you still rise and succeed. Finding happiness, reaching goals and being alive are always things to celebrate, and the more we struggle to achieve those things the more deserving we are to feel glad and proud to exist. Accomplishments 100% become more powerful when you have to go the extra mile to beat the odds, overcome the obstacles in the way and keep going even when you're bearing the battle of your symptoms!
You help others feel seen, heard and empowered by claiming strength in identity and community, even in times of personal emotional conflict when the cards are stacked against you and focusing on yourself seems the easiest option – confirming disability isn’t just a medical condition and a flaw to be fixed, but an embodied part of the vast spectrum of humanity.
Your experience with disability gives you a unique capacity to see people differently with a broader outlook and more empathetic perspective. This in turn has given you a chance to work on deepening your compassion, sharpening your emotional insight and expanding your understanding of human worth and dignity!
Your experience with disability has also opened the door to learning about yourself, inside and out and as a result helped lead to improved self-confidence, self-awareness and self-acceptance. When your body needs extra attention and care and your mind is made to rest, becoming attuned to your core self is the new normal. Through listening to your body, you develop patience, create ways to cope and build personal boundaries. It also extends you an opportunity to slow down and notice what really matters. With a clearer sense of direction and priority, you are awarded a stronger appreciation for small victories and a rethink of what truly defines you – not just your illness and abilities, but your values, passions and sense of purpose. This is the sort of pride you reclaim from the powers within!
You use this wisdom to create real, lasting change, to stand up for yourself, speak up for others, and fight with all your might. Everything you learn is implemented into your psyche, translated into meaningful advocacy and utilised in transformative activism!
You are connected to a movement that has shaped societies, changed laws, brought justice and the rights we have today. To be disabled is to be woven into a global legacy of campaigning and inclusivity which everybody can wear as a badge of honour!
You belong to a diverse community that’s filled with beauty and bravery and supportive, selfless people who provide a safe space to uplift one another, through mutual aid, storytelling and representation. You are surrounded by folks who model healthy interdependence in a cruel, hyper-individualistic world which is so important because we absolutely owe kindness, love, equity, and much more, and humans do rely on each other to thrive!
You exist authentically and unapologetically in a society that often erases, ignores and denies your visibility and which once upon a time mandated we stay hidden away – by challenging discriminatory attitudes, societal norms and harmful assumptions, you show the world that disability isn’t about pity, failure and a lack of independence, it’s about what it means to live a full life despite your differences!
Last but not least, because pride is the opposite of shame. Shame should only be felt when you’ve done something immoral. Being disabled isn’t immoral. It isn’t an insecurity or wrongdoing to be burdened with. Acquiring self-worth through and being proud of your disabilities is a lot healthier than being ashamed of them. Your wellbeing is something to nurture!
To own your disability fully and fearlessly is an act of truth-telling. It is too often associated with struggle, suffering and sadness, but that kind of attitude discounts what we really need – to see disability as a natural and beautiful part of human diversity, a source of strength and brilliance, and complete with an incredibly passionate and caring community that brings a comfortable feeling of togetherness.
Even if it’s not your number one goal, you inspire change just by taking up space, asserting your liberties and pushing society to become more accessible and inclusive – paving the way for other disabled people that come after you. Being an ally means creating those environments for us, including people with disabilities in everyday activities, delivering balanced opportunities that support disabled people in holding roles similar to their non-disabled roles, and giving us a chance to exist with solidarity not sympathy.
Existing while disabled shouldn’t feel like an act of defiance – but the way society treats us as inferior, it does. It can feel very isolating and overwhelming being exposed to the brutal invalidity of mankind, still you possess determination that they’ll never know. Our bodies may be weaker but mentally we are a force to be reckoned with and we contribute so much beyond the qualms of capitalism because progress come in all shapes and sizes. Despite society’s best efforts to erase us, past and present, we’re still here. Disability is a core part of who we are and we deserve peace, respect and the freedom to live without fear!
Remember, you are valid exactly as you are, in your wholeness. Surviving and existing is something to be proud of – especially when so many others hold hostility toward those with disabilities and can’t see your value or your life as human as worthwhile. You don’t need to achieve something in order to be proud of it, you just need to be.
