Disability Pride Month
Presenter: Henry Antolic
The Disability Flag
Disability Pride Month originated in the United States, where it was first celebrated in July 1990. This timing is significant: July marks the anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 1990. The ADA was a watershed moment in the disability rights movement, enshrining legal protections for disabled people and ensuring equal access to employment, government services, transportation, and public accommodations.
The first Disability Pride Parade was held in Boston in 1990, coinciding with the passage of the ADA. Since then, Disability Pride Parades and celebrations have spread across cities like New York and Chicago, evolving into a global movement. While July is recognized as Disability Pride Month in the United States and by many international advocates, some regions and countries celebrate at different times. In Canada, Disability Pride Month is not yet federally designated, but each year, more organizations and community groups are embracing July as a time to highlight disability issues, celebrate achievements, and advocate for further progress.
In 2019, the Disability Flag designed by Ann Magill began to circulate during Disability Pride Month. The flag was revised in 2021 to this current design.
The meaning behind each design element:
All six flag colours: Disability spans borders between nations
Black background: Mourning for victims of ableist violence and abuse
Diagonal Band: Cutting across the walls and barriers that separate disabled people from society
Red Stripe: Physical disabilities
Gold Stripe: Neurodivergence
White Stripe: Invisible and undiagnosed disabilities
Blue Stripe: Psychiatric disabilities
Green Stripe: Sensory disabilities
The Ontario government passed Bill 128 in 2023, officially recognizing Disability Pride Month province-wide. Celebrations include art exhibits, storytelling, advocacy campaigns, and inclusive events.
The Toronto Disability Pride March (TDPM) began out of Occupy Toronto in October 2011, as a small crowd of one hundred people at City Hall.
Though the march has grown through the years, we march for many of the same reasons that brought us together when we first started. Issues of accessible housing, low rates of social assistance, transportation, surveillance, and police violence.
TDPM has always been an intentional form of activism striving to address the intersectional nature of disability while reshaping the meaning of what disability rights and advocacy can be in Toronto and across Canada.
The objectives of TDPM are to bring recognition of the struggles and value of people with disabilities as we fight against ableism and other forms of oppression; to be visible and show that we have a voice in our communities, our right to be heard by taking to the streets; and to celebrate and take pride in ourselves as part of our communities as disabled people.
Questions
Have you ever heard about Disability Pride Month or participated in events?
What are some of your experiences with disability issues?
How can we better advocate for the rights of people with disabilities?
Videos
Website: tdpm.org
Books
Being Heumann: Personal Story & Fighting Education: Judith Heumann
Black Disability Politics: Sami Schalk
Netflix Movie: Crip Camp: Watch on YouTube
Please join the Zoom Meeting here: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/971381033