The Queer Community of Disability Pride Month

July 25, 2024
ALEXANDER

The Queer Community of Disability Pride Month

The queers aren't the only ones celebrating Pride this season. July is also Disability Pride Month, held in conjunction with the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, government recognition and inclusion of the disabled of the nation. The first Disability Pride was held in 1990 in Brooklyn, with Chicago joining the ranks in 2004 with a big Disability Pride parade. Now there are events around the nation, spreading out into the globe, honoring the day and honoring the movers and shakers from the disabled community, much like we do with our queer activists and celebs.

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A post shared by Danielle Connolly | Disability & Rare Disease Advocate (@_daniellevates)

There is a contingent among the queer community that identifies as disabled, and given the intersection of the two minority communities, these individuals experience even more stigma and ostracization from even within these two factions, much less from the world at large. The HRC Foundation reports that members of the LGBTQ+ community are more likely to report a disability, at one in three from our community as compared to one in four with non-queer identity people. Within our community, 53% of the trans or non-binary community report a disability with 35% of cisgender queer folk reporting as disabled.

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Our LGBTQ disabled youth seem to be more at risk for discrimination and bullying as the school atmosphere is rough enough without being queer or disabled. There has also been reported medical discrimination when it comes to treating queer disabled patients. Poverty is also more of an issue for this cross-section due to discrimination in hiring practices.

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The queer community also has to do its part to create a safe space for our disabled family. How accessible are our Pride events? How inclusive is our nightlife? If you had a disability, what community events would you feel like or be able to attend? Also, in cases like autism and ADHD, disabilities are not immediately evident and with these diagnoses, coming out came be more difficult with communication issues.

Activists from our queer community who have made waves in the disabled world should also be getting our Pride attention. Who are these movers and shakers who have progressed representation and inclusion in both communities?

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A post shared by Brooklyn YAS (@bklyn_yas)

Many from the queer disabled community also talk about the issue that our community doesn't understand that even with a disability, they are capable of sensuality and sexuality. These themes were brought up in Ryan O'Connell's Netflix show, Special, a recommended watch for sure.

And this year, artist Valentino Vecchietti and Evenbreak, a global job board for the disabled community, joined forces and unveiled a new Pride flag for both communities. Check it out: