The Liberating Power of Disability Pride

Every July, Disability Pride Month celebrates the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This year marks the 35th anniversary of this landmark civil rights law. This month honors the achievements of the disability community in their ongoing fight against ableism.

What is Ableism?

Have you ever seen messages in society that suggest people with disabilities are “less than”? That’s ableism in action—a pervasive system of stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination, and social oppression directed toward disabled individuals.

When these harmful societal messages start to seep into our own beliefs, it becomes internalized ableism. This can lead to feelings of shame and unworthiness. It’s no surprise, then, that both ableism and internalized ableism are linked to low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression.

What is Disability Pride?

Disability pride is a movement to challenge ableism, a reaction to a long history of shame and exclusion. Disability pride is about feeling positive about your identity as a disabled person and feeling solidarity with others in the disability community. It’s about appreciating the unique strengths, creativity, and perspectives that come from living with a disability.

It’s not about toxic positivity or an overly optimistic outlook. Life with a disability involves very real challenges. And, yes, every person with a disability will have moments of frustration or times when internalized ableism sends them into a shame spiral.

The key insight is that many of these challenges aren’t inherent to the disability itself but are caused by ableism—societal barriers that can be changed. This realization was a driving force behind the ADA.

How Does Disability Pride Help Mental Health?

My research suggests that disability pride can act as a protective factor for mental health. In one study of people with multiple sclerosis, for example, disability pride was associated with lower depression and anxiety.

Another study compared individuals born with mobility disabilities to those who acquired them later in life. Findings indicated that people born with disabilities often reported better mental well-being, possibly driven by higher levels of disability pride.

While people who are born with their disabilities go through their initial development learning about themselves and the world alongside their disability, people who acquire disabilities must relearn how to navigate the world and often report feeling a loss of identity. Building disability pride takes time, and those with congenital disabilities may have a head start.

Disability pride also seems to fortify self-esteem against the impacts of ableism. One study found that experiencing ableism was associated with greater disability pride, which in turn was associated with greater self-esteem.

It’s a powerful testament to how social barriers can galvanize people to challenge them. Indeed, people with disability pride are more likely to engage in advocacy and activism. Efforts like these led to the passage of the ADA.

How to Build Disability Pride and Mental Health

• Self-reflection is key. Reflect on your own experiences with disability, acknowledging the challenges and the unique strengths and perspectives it brings. Examine your own beliefs about disability for any signs of internalized ableism and question where those views originated. It’s time to reframe the narrative that disability is shameful.
• Seek professional help. If you are struggling with anxiety, depression, or other mental health symptoms, look for a therapist with specialized training or experience in disability. Our research finds that most psychologists do not receive sufficient training on disability. Those who are trained as rehabilitation psychologists or health psychologists, or who have sought extra education in disability affirmative therapy, are more likely to be savvy about disability issues. Don’t hesitate to use free initial consultations to inquire about therapists’ experience with disabled clients and familiarity with ableism.
• Educate yourself. Learn about the history of the disability rights movement, the ADA, and current advocacy efforts. Explore disability culture, including disabled artists, creators, and writers.
• Connect with the disability community. People with disabilities are at a higher risk of social isolation, which is a predictor of depression and anxiety. While the majority of people with a disability lack even one friend with a disability, just one disability friendship is associated with increased well-being. Seek out support groups and conferences (even virtual ones!) and find role models and mentors within the disability community. These connections offer invaluable companionship and emotional support.
• Become an advocate. Get involved! Join a disability organization or advocacy movement. Dismantling barriers and challenging ableism doesn’t just benefit you personally; it creates a better society for everyone.

Ultimately, disability pride isn’t just about individual well-being; it’s a powerful force for changing society’s views about disability. By celebrating disability as a form of human diversity, we can collectively work toward a society where everyone is valued, understood, and included. Through disability pride, we celebrate the history of the ADA and the value of people with disabilities in our society.

A version of this post also appears on the Anxiety and Depression Association of America website.