Celebrating Disability Pride Month: Pride, Progress, and the Power of Inclusion

At Bolingbrook Pride, we know that true equity means recognizing the full diversity of our community, including the incredible contributions and lived experiences of people with disabilities. July is Disability Pride Month, a time to honor the strength, brilliance, and resilience of the disability community while also reflecting on the work that remains to be done to build a more inclusive world for all.

Disability doesn’t discriminate. It transcends race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, age, and economic status. In fact, disability is the one identity group that any person can join at any time, and many will over the course of their lives.

LGBTQ+ and Disabled: A Powerful and Overlooked Intersection

People with disabilities make up the largest minority group in the world, and that includes many members of the LGBTQ+ community. Studies show that LGBTQ+ individuals are more likely to live with a disability than their non-L

GBTQ+ peers. According to the National LGBTQ Task Force:

• Nearly 40% of transgender adults report living with a disability.

• LGBTQ+ adults are twice as likely to experience mental health disabilities compared to non-LGBTQ+ adults.

• Queer youth with disabilities often face higher rates of bullying, isolation, and discrimination, compounded by multiple layers of marginalization.

  
  

When these identities intersect, so do the challenges and the need for intentional inclusion.

Disability Pride Is More Than Awareness - It’s About Belonging

Disability Pride Month isn’t about pity or overcoming. It’s about embracing disability as a natural and valuable part of human diversity. It’s about shifting the narrative from one of limitations to one of dignity, autonomy, and celebration.

Just as we raise our rainbow flags in June, in July we also lift up the voices and visibility of those who navigate a world that still too often isn't built with them in mind.

Access is not a personal problem - it’s a community responsibility.

Removing Barriers Is a Collective Act of Pride

Accessibility is love in action. From physical access (such as ramps and accessible seating) to communication (captions, ASL interpreters, plain language), to sensory safe spaces, to policy and cultural shifts, we all have a role in creating spaces where people with disabilities are not just included but welcomed and expected.

At Bolingbrook Pride, we are committed to:

• Ensuring all our events are wheelchair-accessible and sensory-considerate

• Seeking feedback from disabled community members and advocates

• Continuing to learn and grow in our understanding of disability justice

• Advocating for inclusive policies in our village and beyond

How You Can Show Up for Disability Pride

• Listen to disabled voices. Follow advocates, read their work, and believe their experiences.

• Learn about accessibility. Ask how your workplace, school, or event can do better.

• Use inclusive language. Say “disabled people” if that’s their chosen identity. Avoid euphemisms.

• Call out exclusion. Speak up when you see barriers or ableist behavior.

• Support disabled-led organizations doing the work year-round.

Pride Means Everyone Belongs

This Disability Pride Month, let’s recommit to making our Pride spaces as inclusive as the rainbow we celebrate. Because Pride isn’t complete until it includes everyone - every ability, every identity, every story.

Let’s keep building a community where no one is left behind.