Assuming that you haven’t been isolated from the world in the past 20 years, you have probably heard at least one news article about Pride held by members of the LGBTQ community around the world. Though Pride was and still is an important way for members of the community to celebrate their identity and fight against discrimination on sexuality. There are too many voices that need to be heard from just one yearly event.
This created the space for different groups within the community to branch out and fight for their voices to be heard by the world. One result of this is Disability Pride Month. Ashamed, I didn’t know about the existence of this celebration until recently when my friends and I were researching historically important holidays. This is the holiday dedicated to those who were and still are discriminated against for their disabilities and sexuality, whose voices are buried by the media that refuse to give them coverage. There I thought this article would be especially important to raise awareness on the grand celebration and the people holding it.
This tradition is not a new thing but rather it has been going on for the past 25 years! For reasons of the pandemic and health concerns, the parade was canceled last year and pushed back to 2022. However, this does not undermine the passion and hope that the members have for the celebration and the future, but rather it bonds members closer together. With apps like Zoom becoming mainstream indebted to the pandemic, virtual celebrations have become more common, and Disability Pride Month would be no exception to this, as it is hosting many events throughout the month.
It hasn’t been an easy fight for the past 25 years and it won’t be from here, but one thing to take away from the dedication of the members is to believe. Earlier this year, Mayor Bill de Blasio declared July as “Disability Pride Month” on the 25th Anniversary. Though life provided members of the community with obstacles in the form of disabilities, they never stopped believing and just kept walking, even if the road feels endless.
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