It's Disability Pride Month, but where's the party?
Why accessibility benefits all of us. And 5-minute three-bean chilli.
Hey! I’m Dina, a registered Nutritionist, I chat about realistic healthy living for diverse bodies, with monthly 5-minute meals and delicious discoveries. If you’re new here, you can read more about what to expect on the D-List.
July is Disability Pride Month and as usual there isn’t much celebrating beyond the imaginary party in my brain. It’s an important month for people with disabilities, which raises awareness of the largest minority group in the world and celebrates our achievements in a world not designed for us. Unfortunately, many people have never heard of it.
This month I’m taking advice from
to ‘show a bit of ankle’. Or in this case, my ankle orthotic.I was born with a paralysed left foot that affects my mobility. It’s not the most exciting or dramatic story, but disability can be pretty ordinary.
Disability Pride Month is not a special month for special people. We are not a different species and disability is not something that happens to ‘others’, it’s a club that anyone can join at any time. Disability affects us all at some point in our lives, whether ourselves or loved ones, through illness, an accident or simply through ageing. Accessibility and inclusion benefits everyone!
Fear not abled ones, disability is not all doom and gloom, it is not necessarily good or bad either, it’s a neutral part of human diversity that makes us as unique as everyone else. Around 17% of the UK population are disabled and each experience is different and multilayered, there is no one way to be or look disabled.
Disability is usually portrayed (by the non-disabled) as tragic and joyless, but there are some great perks to having a disability, and I’m not talking about the free parking:
Disability is an excellent knobhead filter. People who are narrow-minded, judgemental or have a superiority complex are unlikely to want to get to know me or come anywhere near me. Fabulous.
Being different frees me from conforming to societal norms or trying to fit in. What is this ‘comparisonitis’ I keep hearing about?
I am surrounded by kindness. I used to be ashamed to ask for help until I realised that most people want to help. I now open myself up to kindness from friends and strangers on a regular basis and it’s a beautiful thing.
When you have big fish to fry, you can laugh about the small stuff. I feel lucky to have lots of giggles in my life.
We are creative problem solvers. We spend our lives navigating an inaccessible world and finding solutions around the daily unpredictable obstacle course. If you need advice for a sticky situation, ask a disabled person. Or even a disabled nutritionist 🙃
Disabled people are still undervalued in society, so having pride in our disability can seem like a radical concept. Last year, I was asked by Yogamatters what Disability Pride means to me:
Disability Pride Month is a reminder that disabled people should not be underestimated, they have to work harder than the average person to be accepted, to access opportunities and achieve success, they are naturally resourceful and determined individuals, because they have to be. My disability has given me a unique perspective, with more empathy, resilience and purpose. I wouldn’t be who I am if I wasn’t disabled, and I can take pride in that.
This is not meant to belittle the challenges of the disabled experience. There are plenty of hideous things about having a disability and it has taken decades to fully embrace who I am. But in my personal experience, the most hideous parts have not been the actual disability. It has been the discrimination, the exclusion, the lack of basic access and lack of opportunities.
Further emphasised by the lack of acknowledgement of our party month and the lack of non-disabled allies to party with us. I’m pretty sure we won’t be seeing ‘inclusive’ brands waving the flag this month.
Please help spread the word about Disability Pride Month as a reminder that it’s ok to celebrate this wonderfully diverse, resilient and creative community. Uniqueness should be celebrated, not pitied or feared!
My non-disabled, marathon-running husband is currently more disabled than me, with 3 broken ribs after some dangerous play at a children’s playground. He is out of action, unable to bend or twist, which rules out pretty much every activity other than watching the Euros.
This got me thinking that we all have disabling experiences at some point in our lives. Regular life stuff like broken bones, postpartum, surgery, arthritis, fatigue, PMS, menopause, depression, migraines etc. can all compromise our energy and mobility. Disability is not such a distant foreign concept, everyone dips their toe in the club now and again. Even marathon man has more in common with the special people than he thinks.
Being unwell should be a normal part of the wellness conversation. No one will be 100% well forever, even if you eat 30 plants a week and follow all the rules. It’s a natural part of the cycle of life, it’s part of being human.
Learning to accept, embrace and prepare for the inevitable unwellness, bridges the gap between ‘us and them’, leading to a kinder, more inclusive and accessible world 🙏🏼
Here’s your monthly 5-minute meal. Simple recipes with minimal cooking and prep, when you can’t be arsed to cook.
Three-bean chilli
A super simple meat-free bean chilli, pre-spiced, straight from the tin, served with pre-cooked rice. Perfect for desperate times, without compromising on nourishment.
Ingredients (serves 2)
400g tin of pre-mixed bean chilli
250g bag of pre-cooked rice
Greek yoghurt
½ lime
Coriander to garnish (optional)
Directions
Pour the bean mix into a pan on medium-high heat until warmed through.
Heat the rice in another pan for 3 mins.
Add a squeeze of lime to the bean mix just before serving.
Serve the bean mix and rice in a bowl. Top with fresh coriander and a dollop of Greek yoghurt.
If you have more time: Include minced beef and chopped onion at the start if you’re into that. Add jalapeño slices at the end for extra oomph.
Make it vegan: Add a dollop of guacamole instead of Greek yoghurt.
Baby-friendly: Choose a non-spicy brand of chilli. Mash the beans slightly for the little ones.
Things I eat, read and love.
Three bean chilli - Tinned, pre-spiced, ready to heat and eat. Perfect for a nourishing meal in desperate times.
Bodies Are Cool by Tyler Feder - A body-positive picture book celebrating every type of human body. Children can explore different skin tones, body shapes and abilities, instilling body confidence from a young age.
Keep your pity in your pants t-shirt for when the weird non-disableds say “Awwww” at you. By Nina Tame, a disabled writer and mentor, who raises awareness of ableism in her signature sweary and colourful style.
Disability Debrief - A newsletter that helps you stay up-to-date with international work on disability.
The View From Down Here - A newsletter and book, demystifying disability through personal stories by journalist
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As always, please let me know your thoughts. I love hearing from you!
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Happy Disability Pride Month! Thank you for bringing it to my awareness, I’ll be sure to post about it on my socials etc (and possibly make my weekly Substack about it this week). I’m a sex educator and coach and include mention of disability in my work - I am often met with shock from able-bodied people (and sometimes sadly a little disgust) till I point out that ANYONE could become disabled at any time. Would they want that to mean they are written-off sexually forever more? Do they imagine libido just switches off? In fact there’s lots able-bodied people could learn from the often creative and open-minded approach people with disabilities bring to sex.
Fab recipe and great post. Yes, we're all gonna face changes in our body-minds and how we move around the world ----- and *that's probably why people run like hell from disability awareness, a childlike denial about that*. Hope the month brings awareness and solidarity!