The Importance of Disability Awareness
A disabled group of people smiling and sitting on a bench.
Download the guide “How to Be a Better Ally To the Disabled Community” as a PDF
We won’t spam you or share your email.July is Disability Pride Month, a celebration of disability culture and part of a growing movement to combat systemic ableism with increased education, visibility, and awareness of disability issues. Disability pride even has its own flag, incorporating a design that raises awareness and solidarity for disability inclusion.
The CDC reports that 61 million adults in the U.S. live with a disability, equivalent to 1 in 4. Yet, even as the largest minority population in the U.S., disabled people are frequently left out of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) conversations and face obstacles and discrimination in a society that often fails to prioritize accessibility.
[Image Description: Joci Scott wears a red shirt and smiles at the camera.]
What is Disability Awareness?
In order to understand Disability Awareness, we have to gain a clear understanding of what ‘disability’ is.
What is disability?
More than 1 / 4th of American adults (27%) live with some form of disability, and about 25% of employees worldwide identified as living with a disability or health condition.
However, based on the lack of accurate statistics for under-served, undiagnosed, and misdiagnosed individuals and communities, we can expect these numbers to be higher.
[ CDC Disability Impacts All of Us & Study finds nearly 25% of workers may have a disability or health condition ]
Despite this major uptick in the number of people who identify as disabled or are experiencing a disability (or disabilities), many communities and individuals are not fully aware or educated on disability topics - motivating the call for greater disability awareness training and education.
According to the CDC’s Disability and Health Overview, disability is defined “as any condition of the body or mind (impairment) that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities (activity limitation) and interact with the world around them (participation restrictions).”
Most people will experience some form of disability within their lifetime, whether from illness, injury, or the regular process of aging. “Disability is broader than most people think, it can be physical, mental, visible, or invisible,” said Kathleen R. Bogart, Oregon State University psychology professor.
What could be considered a type of disability?
Neurodiversity
Differences in physical abilities and senses such as vision, hearing, remembering, or movement
Impairments that impact communication and social interactions or relations
Invisible disabilities
Mental health diagnoses
Chronic illnesses (including Long COVID symptoms)
What are the Goals of Disability Awareness?
According to Disabled World, “disability awareness means educating people regarding disabilities and giving people the knowledge required to carry out a job or task, thus separating good practice from poor.” Although the term is often tiptoed around, more people are investing in accessibility and awareness for disabilities.
“Disability is not a bad word,” said Joci Scott, 22-year-old actress, wheelchair user, and disability rights advocate. “Able-bodied people are afraid of being offensive, so they substitute the word disability with phrases like ‘special needs,’ ‘differently-abled,’ or ‘handicapable.’ While everyone has their preferences of how they want to identify, many people choose to identify as disabled.”
Everyone relates to their disabled identity in a unique way, often influenced by their experiences, cultural identities, and backgrounds. There isn’t one right or wrong way to approach disability pride, it’s about what works for you as an individual.
[ Image Description: A crowd of people wearing purple shirts sit on a parade float for the 14th annual Disability Pride Parade ]
Why Disability Awareness Training is Essential for Lasting Change
“There is a tremendous need to create a counter-culture that teaches new values and beliefs, and acknowledges the dignity and worth of all human beings. Disability pride is a direct response to this need," said Sarah Triano, co-founder of the nation’s first Disability Pride Parade in Chicago.
Making the world more accessible for disabled people benefits everyone. Broadening one’s awareness about disability issues is crucial to becoming a better ally to the disabled community. DEI and accessibility is best summed up by the acronym DEIBA, or diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and accessibility.
Disability is simply another facet of human diversity. It isn’t something to be avoided or afraid of, it’s simply a part of who we are as people.
This Disability Pride Month, brainstorm ways to increase accessibility in your life and at your organization.
8 Ways to Increase Disability Awareness and Accessibility in the Workplace
Examine opportunities to make your website more accessible for the visually impaired
Use high-contrast typography and large font sizes, and make sure image descriptions are easily recognized by screen readers
Prioritize accessibility at your workplace
Ask yourself if your employees and peers feel comfortable asking for disability accommodations and if your workplace culture is truly inclusive and open to everyone
Institute disability-centric DEI Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to build community and create a sense of belonging
Seek out disabled speakers and host company lunch and learn topics about disability issues to increase awareness and education
Find and hire disabled candidates through job boards like Chronically Capable, abilityJOBS, Diversify Tech, and Diversability
Frequently consult disabled populations about your products and services and design with universal accessibility in mind
July is Disability Pride Month
Disability Pride Month is celebrated in the month of July in the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, and other communities worldwide. In the U.S., National Disability Independence Day falls on July 26, commemorating the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. The ADA is a federal law prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities. While massive strides have been made in the years since the ADA was first passed, there is still an immense amount of progress to be made.
Many disabled people still lack basic marriage equality and risk losing their life-altering healthcare and insurance resources due to Social Security marriage penalties.
While inaccessible businesses, public areas, transport, and workplaces deny disabled people access to the same places and opportunities as the non-disabled, they also lack training on taking care of accessibility equipment. Broken equipment is often extremely expensive to repair or replace, and may not be covered by insurance. Accessibility equipment is crucial to a disabled person’s health and overall functioning, and can be extremely dangerous for people if it is broken or unusable.
In 2022, beloved disability activist Engracia Figueroa passed away from complications caused after her custom motorized wheelchair had been damaged during a flight with United Airlines.
“Mobility devices are an extension of our bodies. When they are damaged or destroyed, we become re-disabled. Until the airlines learn how to treat our devices with the care and respect they deserve, flying remains inaccessible,” shared Figueroa in an interview following the discovery of her damaged mobility device.
Last October, Vice News reported that airlines had damaged almost 35 wheelchairs and mobility scooters every day.
Disability Pride Month is an important call to action for individuals and communities to increase accessibility and disability awareness and education in our society. In order to be truly equitable, all spaces should be inclusive, accessible, and safe for everyone.
Related
Airlines had damaged an average of 35 #wheelchairs and #mobility scooters daily in October
The Importance of Disability Representation in Leadership
Celebrate Disability Pride Month with The Rise Journey by attending one of our insightful Lunch & Learn sessions. Don't miss out on this opportunity to deepen your understanding of disability awareness. Explore here now!
Join our movement and help us spread the importance of disability awareness. Reach out to our team and learn how we can make a difference together!
Download the guide “How to Be a Better Ally To the Disabled Community” as a PDF
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