July is Disability Pride Month
🌟 Disability Pride Month is here, and at GYB, we’re proud to celebrate it with our members, families, and community partners.
Every day at GYB, we see the incredible strength, creativity, resilience, and kindness of the disability community. Disability Pride Month is a time to honour those contributions, to reflect on the barriers that still exist, and to remind ourselves that disability is an important and beautiful part of human diversity.
What is Disability Pride Month?
Disability Pride Month began in July 1990 in the United States to mark the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a landmark piece of civil rights legislation. But the spirit of Disability Pride goes far beyond one law or one country.
In Canada, and right here in Toronto, Disability Pride is about:
✅ Visibility — making sure people with disabilities are seen and heard.
✅ Acceptance — celebrating disability as a natural part of human diversity, not something to “fix” or “overcome.”
✅ Belonging — building communities where all abilities are welcomed and valued.
The Disability Pride Flag and Its Meaning
The Disability Pride Flag is a symbol of the rich diversity within the disability community. Each colour represents a different experience:
🖤 Black background: mourning and rage for those lost to ableism, violence, and neglect.
⬆️ Diagonal band: breaking through barriers and lighting the way for pride and progress.
❤️ Red: physical disabilities.
💛 Gold: neurodivergence (such as autism, ADHD, and other brain-based differences).
🤍 White: invisible and undiagnosed disabilities.
💙 Blue: psychiatric disabilities (including mental health challenges).
💚 Green: sensory disabilities (such as blindness, deafness, or sensory processing differences).
When we display this flag, we’re showing that we see all of these experiences, and we value every one.
What Disability Pride Means at GYB
At Got Your Back, Disability Pride Month reflects the values we live by year-round:
🌱 Inclusion — Our programs are designed so that every member can fully participate in their own way.
🌍 Advocacy — We challenge ableism and work to break down barriers in our community.
💬 Voice — We believe in listening to our members and creating spaces where they can share their ideas, dreams, and goals.
Our members inspire us every day — not because of their disabilities, but because of their unique strengths, humour, determination, and kindness.
How You Can Join Us
✨ This month and every month, we invite you to join us in celebrating Disability Pride. Here’s how:
Learn about the history of Disability Pride and disability rights.
Listen to people with disabilities — their voices, experiences, and ideas.
Challenge ableism when you see it — in systems, attitudes, and language.
Support organizations led by and for people with disabilities.
Let’s work together to build a world where everyone belongs.
Thank You
Thank you for being part of the GYB family and for standing with us in celebrating Disability Pride.
💙 Let’s keep the conversation going — not just in July, but every day.
In solidarity,
Sean Guptill
Founder, Got Your Back (GYB)
#DisabilityPrideMonth #DisabilityPride #GYB #GotYourBack #GYBToronto #GYBFamily #InclusionMatters #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs
