When it comes to days or months designated to draw attention to specific issues or give voice to those traditionally unheard, the term "awareness" is often used. However, for Disability Pride Month, the word "pride" is used instead. This distinction is important and worth discussing. As someone with a disability who works in the field, I've thought a lot about Disability Pride Month over the last few weeks and its significance.
In my research, I've noticed that some people find the idea of being proud of a disability not worth celebrating, while others think it is important to do so. Considering these views has helped me reflect on my state of being as someone with a disability and how it has impacted me throughout my life.
For me, Disability Pride is about being proud of the person I am despite having a disability, not celebrating the disability itself. In the vast majority of cases, a disability is a negative factor in someone's life and an obstacle to overcome. With time, the obstacle may become very minor, but it will always be there to some degree. However, having a disability shapes who we become. It impacts our achievements, personalities, and outlook on life. Reflecting on my own life and how my vision disability has influenced me, I concluded that not much would change in terms of my hobbies and interests. However, I did wonder how my personality and goals have been shaped by people's treatment of me and their reactions to someone with a disability. I am not talking about overt oppression, which, as someone who grew up after the passage of the ADA, hasn't really occurred for me. Instead, I refer to the subtle ways people interact with you and the expectations they may hold because of your disability. In reflecting on how my disability has shaped who I am, I think I can say that I am proud of the person I have become. Even if my disability makes my life more difficult in some ways, it has made me into a person I am happy to be.
It's important to note how differently people experience disabilities. Two people with the same disability might have vastly different experiences—one may find it a constant challenge while the other considers it a minor annoyance.
This stands out to me, especially as someone who developed an invisible disability about ten years ago. Just after college, I had an organ transplant that has led me to be immunocompromised as a result. Objectively, blindness is a more significant disability, but because I've grown up with it and shaped my life around it, it only causes me minor issues overall. My invisible disability, which is less burdensome for most people, has had a much more negative impact on my life. Like visual impairment, it is something I am learning to live with and work around.
Considering my own disabilities and how they impact my life has led me to be more cognizant of others' experiences of disability when reflecting on their views and thoughts concerning Disability Pride Month.
