Things to Remember During Disability Pride Month and Beyond

Image via Council for Relationships

Happy Disability Pride Month! This month is not only a time for the disabled to celebrate who they are, but also for everyone else to work on becoming better allies. Disabled people are just living their lives like everyone else, and it’s high time we give them the respect and courtesy they deserve. Here are a few small things to remember:

  1. Little things that don’t affect/inconvenience you can be important to disabled people. For example, if you see buttons that open doors for the disabled mounted low on the wall, don’t kick them with your feet. People in wheelchairs or with other disabilities need to use those buttons, usually with their hands, so it’s discourteous to dirty them with your feet when you can use your hands or open the door manually.
  2. Wheelchairs are an extension of a person’s body, so don’t touch them without permission. Would you want someone to grab you or move you around without asking permission? No, so don’t do it to other people even if it might seem like no big deal since they’re in a wheelchair and easy to roll around. It is a big deal.
  3. Don’t avoid words like “disabled” and don’t go out of your way to avoid abled phrases like “take a walk.” Firstly, “disabled” is not a bad word, and avoiding it makes it seem like it is. Secondly, avoiding certain phrases just makes things more awkward for everyone involved. Chances are good the disabled person knows what you mean and won’t think anything of it.
  4. Don’t ask questions about someone’s disability unless they have said it’s okay. You wouldn’t randomly start asking an abled person about their health, a very private and personal topic, so why would it be okay to ask a disabled person?

Most of all, remember that disability is not something to be ashamed of. It can happen to anyone at any time, so think about how you would want to be treated when you interact with disabled people. They don’t need pity or shame or to feel like they’re a burden. They are who they are, and most of the time, they just want to be treated like everyone else.