Celebrating Pride in Every Ability

Girls With Power

July is Disability Pride Month. It celebrates those with physical and mental impairments and encourages strength and unity. It is important to point out that a disability does not make anyone less capable of accomplishing major success in a multitude of fields. June was Pride Month. Pride is all about inclusivity, no matter how you identify or are perceived. Both Disability and Pride months show perseverance and individuality within people and should be commemorated. In honor of Disability Pride & Pride, we wanted to highlight those who have achieved academic and athletic success with a disability, as well as those who identify as LGBTQ+. 

Academic Achievements

Disabilities shouldn’t actually be seen as disabilities, but rather as special abilities. While people of all disabilities hold potential to succeed academically, a lot of the time they are not able to unlock this potential due to a lack of accommodation, a lack of specialized resources, and other systemic barriers. However, all of these setbacks do not mean academic success is unreachable. Let’s take a look at some inspiring people who have not let their disability hold them back and have led the way to striking down these barriers.

First, the famous theoretical physicist, Steven Hawking. Diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at age 21, Hawking used a wheelchair, assistive speech, and other assistive technologies. He revolutionized our understanding of the universe by proving that black holes have both radiation and gravity.

Another famous person is Temple Grandin, Ph.D, a professor, author, and animal behaviorist. She is an incredibly intelligent woman who wrote multiple books, ex: Animals in Translation and Animals Make Us Human, about the psychology of farm animals and how to improve farm animal welfare. She invented farm machinery to improve the treatment of cattle. She is also an advocate for autism and LGBTQIA+ (being asexual herself), continuously proving that neurodiversity provides expert insight to all fields.

A person you might not have heard about before is Geerat Vermeij, a famous evolutionary biologist who happens to be blind. He studies the shells of mollusks and other marine ecology to contribute to theories that explore evolution. He talks about how his inability to see actually heightens his sense of touch and overall awareness. He can conceptualize theories beyond visual data. He also proves that disability does not inhibit you from investigation and innovation

Some other people you may not have known to have disabilities are Alexander Graham Bell, Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, Thomas Edison, and  Leonardo da Vinci. The life stories and achievements of these people prove that disability and pride do not have to define a person, but can instead uplift them beyond the ‘normal’ abilities of other people.

Athletic Achievements

Some athletes simultaneously navigate disability and proudly display presence in the LGBTQIA+ community. These genres of pride go hand in hand, and a platform of visibility for one is a platform for all. The following athletes show how sports can be a platform for visibility and pride of all genres, even when society attempts to ignore them

Scout Bassett is a strong example. After losing her lower leg as a child, she faced significant challenges to become a Paralympic track and field athlete for the United States. Her journey illustrates how elite performance in athletics and advocacy for LGBTQ+ identity can coexist, challenging stereotypes about both disability and sexuality. 

Another inspiring athlete is Robyn Lambird. She won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Paralympics and has openly discussed being non-binary. Her advocacy helps increase visibility for gender-diverse athletes in disability sports.

 In wheelchair tennis, David Wagner has consistently been a top competitor, winning several Paralympic medals while also being openly gay. He shows that high-level success and LGBTQ+ pride can go hand in hand in sports. 

Similarly, Sir Lee  Pearson has won numerous Paralympic gold medals in equestrian events and has been a long-standing advocate for both disability rights and LGBTQ+ visibility.

 Together, these athletes demonstrate that pride, identity, and athletic excellence are not separate paths but can exist side by side, breaking down assumptions about who belongs in competitive sports and redefining what achievement looks like on the world stage.

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These people are all examples that having a disability is not tragic or a hindrance, but instead a unique path of life and a natural part of human diversity. Disabilities make people strong, and they should be celebrated. People who identify as LGBTQ+ are the same way. They are not lesser or weaker than anyone else. Many put up barriers and look down upon those who are different from them, but the truth is everyone can contribute to communities and society. We are created equal and should be treated as such. Happy Disability Pride & Pride Month!

Written by:

Girls With Power Charlotte