Should we Be Proud of our Disabilities?

 When I first heard about Disability Pride Month in July each year, I struggled with this question. I thought that the Bible said, "Pride goes before a fall," (Proverbs 16:18). Well, it doesn't. It says, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall," but I don't know that destruction is much better than a fall. And we all know the last thing someone with a disability needs is to fall! But, you know me, I figured there might be more to the word than I was aware, so I visited with my friend, Webster:

PRIDE, noun
1. Inordinate self-esteem; an unreasonable conceit of one's own superiority in talents, beauty, wealth, accomplishments, rank or elevation in office, which manifests itself in lofty airs, distance, reserve, and often in contempt of others.
Martial pride looks down on industry.
PRIDE goeth before destruction. Proverbs 16:18.

 There, see! I told you! But wait- There's more!

3. Generous elation of heart; a noble self-esteem springing from a consciousness of worth.
The honest pride of conscious virtue.

 Well, that's a horse of a different color! All of the colors in fact - as you'll see when we break down the Disability Pride flag later. Generous elation of heart. A noble self-esteem springing from a consciousness of worth. Those seem like good things! Hmm... Maybe I can identify a little more honestly with Disability Pride Month now. It's not necessarily that I am proud of being disabled, or of my disabilities. I'm not saying I have a generous elation of heart when I think of my cognitive issues (that is when they let me think!). What I'm saying is that I have a noble self-esteem springing from a consciousness of my worth, and I am disabled. As my husband pointed out to me, it's like when I told my daughter-in-law that I was proud of her for her hard work earning her bachelor's degree. I was saying that thinking of this accomplishment she had made left me feeling really good and she should see her hard work and persistence as positively influencing her sense of self-esteem.

 Often, I learn a lot about something by examining it's opposite. What's the opposite of pride? Shame. Unfortunately, that's where many, if not most, people with disabilities get stuck. We are ashamed of our differences, our needs for accommodation, even who we are. We feel like a burden and spend ridiculous amounts of energy making ourselves more acceptable to others. This is where that positive definition of pride comes in. This month we seek to help people with disabilities know that they are loved, help them to feel included and wanted, worthy of a place in society.

 Since we're honoring that words can have different meanings to different people at different times, let's get on the same page with what a disability is. According to Disabled-World, "A disability is defined as a condition or function judged to be significantly impaired relative to the usual standard of an individual or group." This could have to do with activity restrictions (i.e. I can't walk around Walt Disney World because of my two permanently sprained ankles), participation restrictions (i.e. I couldn't cross the street in Las Vegas because the elevators were broken and I was in a wheelchair), and body structure and function (i.e. I have double vision which makes a lot of things harder). 

 So, what is the Disability Pride flag trying to communicate and remind us of*? 

• The flag uses all six standard flag colors, indicating that disability spans all state and national borders. 
• The colored bands cross the flag diagonally to represent cutting across the walls and barriers that separate the disabled from society.
• The charcoal/black field reminds us of the violence and abuse brought on by ableism.
• The Red Stripe represents physical disabilities like limb differences, dexterity, or differently functioning organs.
• The Gold Stripe relates to Neurodivergence which includes Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Dyslexia.  
• The White Stripe alludes to invisible illness. For example, I had to create a black background behind those words so that you could see them! This is a HUGE group that includes people with chronic illness and many other things you can't tell just by looking at someone. In fact, I love that they chose white to represent this aspect of disability because white (contrary to popular belief) is the combination of all the colors. You can't always see someone's physical disability or neurodivergence for example! White also represents those still without diagnosis. Many conditions take a great deal of time to sort out. Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes, for example, has an average of 10-15 years between when someone begins seeking diagnosis and receiving it.
• The Blue Stripe refers to psychiatric disabilities, aka mental illness. This could include depression, anxiety, OCD, and many more. These challenges certainly affect how a person interacts with their world.
• The Green Stripe is for those disabilities you might have thought of first: Sensory Disabilities like blindness and deafness.

 This month, and every month, I encourage each and every one of us to be a disability ally. "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves," [Philippians 2:3 NIV]. Keep your eyes out for ways that you can make this world more accessible and accommodating for others. Be willing to take time, rephrase yourself, and show Christ's love in a real way. 

Here's the Thing: Disability Pride says: I am disabled and I am worthy of love and respect; I am disabled and while it is a part of who I am, it does not define me; I am disabled and I deserve to be seen and heard.

* Much of the information for this section was found at Disability Pride Flag: Meaning, Symbolism, and Community Significance | DW