This is a short post that includes an Instagram video. It covers definitions of disability, of the disability movement disability rights movement and definition of disability pride. This is offered as a free pdf download to help with access. The link is at the end of the post.
These “definitions” are brief statements about the meaning of these words and concepts. There are, of course, other and more lengthly statements out there. My offering definitions is a place to spring from, not an end-and-all for definitions. It’s a starting place.
Here’s an Instagram video from Disability Pride Month, talking about definitions of disability pride and disability:
Definition of Disability
A condition that affects the way one moves, sees, hears, thinks, emotes and/or interacts with the world. The condition necessitates thought and planning to accommodate.
Andrew Pulrang says, If you have a physical or mental condition that you have to think about and plan around every day, then you are disabled.
Definition of Disability Movement
The Disability Movement is at it’s core about the fact that disability is a natural part of the human experience. It tangents into the Medical Model of Disability and the Social Model of Disability.
Definition of Disability Rights Movement
The Disability Rights Movement is fundamentally about our quest to participate in this world.
It’s what started in the ’70’s with the quest for the civil rights and the 504 (read my post on “A Short History of the Disability Rights Movement“). While that moment has ended, the quest for our rights, education, employment continue.
Definition of Disability Pride
Disability Pride is about recognizing the value that comes with all that we are. That means seeing value and accepting, not striving to change who we are, not therapizing, apologizing, implanting, augmenting, deconstructing or bending ourselves into some other version of ourselves.
It is seeing the value of everything we are bringing to the table. Accepting that we have a right to be here. We have value and that value is worthy of pride.
Meriah Nichols is a counselor. Solo mom to 3 (one with Down syndrome, one on the spectrum). Deaf, and neurodiverse herself, she’s a gardening nerd who loves cats, Star Trek, and takes her coffee hot and black.
