July is Disability Pride Month, But is 'Pride the Right Word?' My Perspective on Disability and Strength
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"JULY IS DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH," the subject line boldly announced in my inbox today. Yes, it’s July. And yes, I do identify as a person with a disability. But honestly, “pride” isn’t the word I would instinctively use to describe my experience of living with a disability. To me, it feels more like being a contestant on a real-life, never-ending episode of American Ninja Warrior. Each day presents its own obstacle course, and anyone navigating life with a disability deserves recognition simply for making it through. Curious to better understand Disability Pride Month, I turned to Google—and found plenty. The flag, often seen with diagonal rainbow stripes across a black background, sometimes includes a wheelchair symbol. It’s clear this movement is real, with its own identity and symbolism. Wanting to make sense of the word “pride,” I looked it up in the dictionary. The first definition—“a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one’s own achievements”—didn’t ...