Advancing equality during Disability Pride Month

Everybody should have the freedom to live a life of limitless opportunity.

Yet, disabled LGBTQ+ adults are more likely to face higher unemployment, discrimination in hiring, lower wages, and insufficient access to employment benefits. Higher rates of poverty and less opportunity translate to LGBTQ+ adults with disabilities experiencing higher rates of mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. Meanwhile, nearly two in three LGBTQ+ adolescents with disabilities report feeling discriminated against because of their disability. They're also more likely to be bullied and drop out of school.

Disabled LGBTQ+ people live at the intersection of two frequently marginalized communities. Considering the increased amounts of discrimination, bias, and reverberating consequences, the world needs to be more welcoming and accessible for all.

Disability Pride Month is celebrated in July because it marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), enacted into law in 1990. Similar to LGBTQ+ Pride Month, Disability Pride Month started as a protest. The passage of the ADA changed how people with disabilities access the world, becoming the global model that other countries use to increase accessibility and mitigate discrimination.

There's much to celebrate this July. We can also honor Disability Pride by advancing protections against discrimination across all aspects of life. We all have a role to play in making our society more equitable, inclusive, and just for LGBTQ+ disabled people.

Employers can greatly reduce bias and create an inclusive employee culture, from recruitment to retention. HR departments can prioritize inclusion throughout every stage of the hiring process, regularly evaluating their methodologies and how workplace culture contributes to belonging. Such focus can result in hiring more qualified people with marginalized identities, enriching an organization across all levels.

This practice can also help employers build a stronger workforce by engaging talent that might otherwise be excluded, undervalued, or disrespected. Additionally, reviewing benefits packages, onboarding practices, and office policies—all guided by inclusivity—can ensure employees feel safe and supported, positively impacting employers' retention rates.

Schools are another essential space to ensure safety and inclusivity for disabled LGBTQ+ youth. Educators, counselors, and school administrators can take concrete steps to help build this space among their parent/guardian and student communities. This means reviewing a school's policies to ensure comprehensive bullying and harassment policies, specifically protecting children who are gender-expansive and/or disabled. Addressing cyberbullying is also critically important today and requires schools to understand and clearly define prohibited activities. Creating a safe and inclusive school environment will help build the conditions for all students to find out who they are, speak their minds, identify their passions and skills, and achieve what they set out to do.

Collaboration is vital for advocates and allies in disability and LGBTQ+ rights spaces. It goes beyond acknowledging the existence of an identity and explores perspectives that impact the disabled and LGBTQ+ communities. The strides made and stories told at the intersection of these identities continue to motivate me to do more during Disability Pride Month and beyond.

Together, we can help build a world that's more welcoming and accessible for disabled LGBTQ+ people.

Kendra Davenport is the President and CEO of Easterseals, the nation's leading advocacy group and provider of life-changing disability and community services. Equalpride is proud to be a Community Partner with Easterseals.

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