Disability Pride Month: What Does The Disability Pride Flag Mean?
As an autistic-owned business , we’re especially passionate about Disability Pride Month at Rainbow & Co - particularly since studies show that 1 in 3 of the LGBTQIA+ community also identifies as disabled.
Taking place every July, Disability Pride Month was created to raise awareness of the range of disabilities and the struggles faced by those who identify as disabled. It has since also become a way to start positive conversations about disability and celebrate the diversity of the disabled community.
On top of Disability Pride festivals and parades held up and down the country, Disability Pride Month is celebrated by the iconic Disability Pride flag. But when was this flag created, and just what do the six different colours mean?
History of the Disability Pride Flag
The first Disability Pride flag was created by writer Ann Magill in 2019. Magill, who has cerebral palsy, attended an event to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). However, when she arrived, she was shocked to find the event had been relegated to the basement - instead of being held out in public.
Her experience that day motivated her to design the original Disability Pride flag; the flag featured multi-coloured zigzagging stripes over a black background, representing how the disabled community constantly had to manoeuvre around all the barriers they faced.
Why Was the Disability Pride Flag Updated?
Even though the idea behind the new Disability Pride flag was quickly praised, many found the original design was visually triggering for some individuals. This prompted Magill to create a more inclusive and accessible banner in 2021, using feedback from the disabled community.
Not only did Magill change the zigzag strips to straight lines, but she also rearranged and muted the colours of the flag to lessen a nausea trigger for migraine sufferers and make the flag more accessible for those with colour blindness. The updated design is now in the public domain after Magill waved her copyright so that everyone could use the Disability Pride flag.
What Do the Disability Pride Flag Colours Represent?
Each of the colours of the Disability Pride flag has its own different meaning. The flag’s faded black background represents rage against how the disabled community are mistreated, while also commemorating those who have died from ableism, negligence, violence, suicide, illness and rebellion.
The five stripes on top of this background represent:
Red: Physical disabilities
Gold: Neurodiversity
White: Non-visible disabilities and those that haven't yet been diagnosed
Blue: Emotional and psychiatric disabilities, including mental illness, depression and anxiety
Green: Sensory disabilities, including blindness, deafness, lack of taste, lack of smell, audio processing disorder and all other sensory disabilities
All five of these colours make up a straight diagonal banner. This represents cutting across the barriers disabled people face - it’s also a contrast to the vertical walls and horizontal ceilings that isolate disabled people in society.
Statistics about LGBTQ+ and Disability
Recent studies have shown that LGBTQ+ adults, and transgender adults in particular, were significantly more likely than non-LGBTQ+ adults to identify as having at least one disability. Just under two-thirds (65%) of LGBTQ+ young people with disabilities also reported feeling discriminated against for their actual or perceived disability in the past year.
In 2023, The Trevor Project conducted their National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People. Out of those surveyed, they found that:
Nearly one-third (29%) identified as having a disability.
Of those who reported having a disability:
48% reported being diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
32% with a developmental or learning disorder (e.g., Autism Spectrum Disorder, Specific Learning Disorder)
28% with a physical disability (i.e., physical health or medical problem affecting daily living)
10% with an autoimmune disorder (e.g., HIV, Diabetes, Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis)
3% with Oppositional Defiant Disorder
72% with another mental health disorder
Celebrate Disability Pride Month At Rainbow & Co:
A Note from OUr Founder:
"For many of us, navigating the world with a disability involves overcoming societal barriers, and Disability Pride Month, just like Pride, serves as a beacon of hope and empowerment.
In the LGBTQIA+ community, many of us wear multiple identities with pride. Being both queer and disabled means that we face intersectional challenges that can often feel overwhelming. However, it also means that we bring a rich diversity of perspectives, strengths, and talents to the table. Disability Pride Month reminds us to honour and embrace every aspect of who we are.
Thank you for being part of our journey and for supporting a brand that stands for love, inclusivity, and pride in all its forms. Together, we can create a world where everyone can thrive and express their true selves without limitations."
Tilly Brogan
Tilly is a queer Freelance Copywriter based in Manchester. She balances her time between working with LGBTQ+ organisations and women’s rights charities - and people watching in various Manchester cafes. She is also a proud lesbian. You can read more of her work here.
