Prioritize Inclusion, Trivialize Exclusion

Barriers removed

Photo by Takehiro Tomiyama on Unsplash

Do you know this year marks the tenth anniversary of the first official celebration of Disability Pride Month?

Officially celebrated in 2015 to mark the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), July was selected to align with the anniversary of this landmark civil rights law.

While the first Disability Pride Day was held in Boston in 1990, this year also marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of the ADA, which was signed into law on July 26, 1990. The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities, ensuring they have equal rights in areas like housing, employment, and public spaces.

This is important because in the United States:

• More than 1 in 4 adults has some type of disability;

• 1 in 4 adults with a disability has unmet healthcare needs;

• 30% of adults aged 75 and older report having a disability;

• 18% of adults with a disability are American Indian or Native Alaskan;

• 15% of students enrolled in public schools are disabled;

• 14% of adults with a disability are Black;

• 10% of adults with a disability are Hispanic;

• 8% of adults with a disability are Asian;

• 13.9% of adults have a cognitive disability;

• 12.2% of adults have a mobility disability;

• 7.7% of adults have an independent living disability;

• 6.2% of adults are deaf or are hearing impaired;

• 5.5% of adults are visually impaired with blindness or serious difficulty seeing;

• 3.6% of adults have a self-care disability;

• People with disabilities tend to earn less than those who do not have a disability; and

• It is estimated that approximately 8% of companies employing 500 or more people have accessibility measures in place for employees with disabilities.

Whether you advocate for disability rights or challenge stereotypes, Disability Pride Month and the ADA matter, and the strength and resilience of the disability community deserve recognition, because we are each aging into a time when a more inclusive and accessible society is becoming increasingly necessary.