From Shame To Pride
Disability Pride Month and the 30th anniversary of the ADA have me reflecting on how my own disabilities have shaped my life & community.
content notes: suicidal ideation
July is Disability Pride Month, and this year marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA.
Finding pride in my disabilities was a long, complicated journey. I had to deconstruct years of internalized ableism that had built up in my brain and replace it with the recognition that my disabilities are a part of who I am, a part of what makes me, me. This recognition was more natural with some of my disabilities and illnesses than others, and it’s work that is far from complete. Connecting to other disabled people was a critical component for this growth, and learning the history of disability rights and identity was necessary to change my perspective. The growth from shame, to acceptance, to pride has been a distinct journey for each of my disabilities, all different but equally transformative.
The mental illness I was born with and have had all my life was the easiest to accept and, eventually, be proud of. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, was disruptive and caused immense shame and pain during my childhood and adolescence, but it’s also given…
