Disability Allyship
The CDC states that up to 1 in 4 Americans have some kind of disability; That’s about 27% of the
population! This makes people with disabilities the largest minority group in the country.
So, what is disability pride month? July was established as disability pride month following the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26th, 1990. Much like LGBT+ pride month, is a time for celebration, activism, and remembrance. Despite the ADA, disabled people still face discrimination and battle with barriers to proper medical care on a regular basis. Because of this, allies play an important role in advocacy and support. Here are some different ways you can support the disability community this month and beyond.
Learn about different disabilities
One of the most meaningful things a person can do is learn about another’s illness. It helps build
empathy and understanding of what disabled people experience daily. A simple internet search can go a long way and will take the pressure of education off of the person dealing with the disability.
Watch out for ableism and microaggressions
We all have biases and that does not inherently make us bad people. The caveat with that is we are
responsible for examining our thoughts and beliefs to weed out harmful stereotypes.
Contact your elected officials
Sign petitions, vote, march, protest, write letters. There are many different ways to get the attention of lawmakers and assert that we will not stand by idly if the law is not supporting disabled rights.
Donate or Volunteer
Donating time or money to reputable advocacy groups is a solid way to directly support the community.
Some examples of local organizations include NAMI Louisiana, ARC Louisiana, and the Louisiana Center for the Blind.
Modern Therapy and Wellness is a small group practice in New Orleans. We provide in person and virtual therapy in the state of Louisiana. We have therapists who specialize in couples therapy, chronic illness, grief, addiction, brainspotting and working with the LGBTQ community. Call us for a free phone consultation: 504-452-1483