Disability Pride Month

For someone who is living with a disability, there isn't a month or day that goes by when they forget or don't feel disabled. The awareness is always there, but what hopefully happens over time is a sense of pride. And since the term Disability Pride can confuse a lot of people, I'm here to clarify what it means to me three and a half years into my limb loss journey.

I was not born disabled. But at age thirty-five, I lost a large part of my right leg and became an above-the-knee amputee. I was an able-bodied active woman one day and disabled the next, so I saw the shift in stares, questions, and assumptions from the outside world happen right before my eyes. Instead of self-pity, I chose pride. To scream who I am from the rooftops and not worry about my differences making people feel uncomfortable. I love myself even more than I ever did before limb loss because it's what I deserve and am worthy of. I decided not to hide my disability by wearing pants to blend in. In fact, I don't wear pants any more or less than I did when I had two legs and trust me when I say getting dressed was so much easier back then. I am proud to be exactly who I am, disabled, worthy, powerful, and so much more. I am not ashamed that I'm different and sometimes require assistive devices like crutches and a wheelchair. I wear a sparkly socket on my residual limb and a shiny gold cover on my prosthesis to stand out because the last thing I want to do is hide, and I want others with disabilities to feel the same and embrace their differences. I may only be one person, but I will always do what I can to help others learn to love themselves as they are.

Disability Pride Month is also a time to recognize the Americans With Disabilities Act passed in 1990 that gave persons living with disabilities fundamental civil rights and protections against discrimination in several areas, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications, and access to state and local government programs and services. Thanks to this act and those who fought for its passing, the disability community has been able to climb mountains, snowboard down them, hold positions in Congress, star in some of the best movies of our time, create adaptive clothing lines, and MUCH more. Now, every July and beyond, we celebrate, raise our voices, and support one another in achieving what once seemed impossible. We are united by our drive for more accessibility and inclusivity and our desire to live in a world with equal opportunity and social justice for us all.