Why Is Disability History Month Important?

Disability History Month has been part of the liberation calendar since 2010, when it was observed for the first time in the UK when a collective of disability organisations came together to devote a time of the year to focus on their struggle for equality and human rights.

Disability History Month has been part of the liberation calendar since 2010, when it was observed for the first time in the UK when a collective of disability organisations came together to devote a time of the year to focus on their struggle for equality and human rights. The month is observed between mid-November and mid-December, every year. The month also includes the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which takes place annually on the 3 December. This day was set up by the United Nations in 1992. 

The status of having a month is akin and complimentary to other liberation months such a LGBT+; Black; and Women’s History Months. It encompasses a nuanced reflection on the movement, enabling reflections on the community, both positive and negative, acceptance within society and improved allyship, and importantly provides a call to action for justice. 

People with disabilities have faced discrimination, ostracism and prejudice for millennia, in every cultural context. Although in many parts of the world, things are improving for the community, there are still many challenges to overcome. These challenges can be felt in many different areas of life for the community, which is why there is a theme that runs within Disability History Month. These themes have included topics such as access, leadership, the arts, language, and in 2024, the theme is Disability Livelihood and Employment. The themes create a streamlined insight into a different aspect of the community and prompts discourse about how the themes intersect with disability. Challenges highlighted this year include the inequalities of income for people with disabilities, the increased number of challenges on attaining reasonable adjustments, and challenges to disability benefits. 

Having compassionate and sensitive discussions about disabilities with people, understanding disability history, and destigmatising talking about disabilities is important to enable truly accessible society. Disability History Month seeks to start these conversations and provides the platforms to continue these throughout the rest of the year. 

Sources: 

https://ukdhm.org/  

https://idpwd.org/ 

 

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