Richmond celebrates Disability Pride Month, promotes inclusivity

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Did you know that there's a flag for disability pride? To kick off Disability Pride Month, the city of Richmond is highlighting this symbol of inclusivity.

July is Disability Pride Month, which the city described as "a time to honor the history, achievements and voices of people living with disabilities" in a July 1 Facebook post.

The first Disability Pride Month was celebrated in 2015 -- the same year the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) had its 25th anniversary, according to Columbia University.

In the July 1 post, Richmond officials brought awareness to the Disability Pride Flag, which "represent[s] the diversity and wide-reaching experiences within the disability community," the city said.

The Disability Pride flag, designed by Ann Magill. (Photo: Columbia University)

Here's what each color on the flag means:

• Red stripe: Those with physical disabilities.
• Gold stripe: Those who are neurodivergent, which includes those with autism, ADHD and dyslexia, among others.
• White stripe: Those with invisible disabilities -- or those that you may not notice just by looking at a person -- or undiagnosed disabilities.
• Blue stripe: Those with emotional and psychiatric disabilities, including things like mental illness, anxiety and depression.
• Green stripe: Those with sensory-related disabilities, which include deafness, blindness, lack of smell or taste and audio processing disorder, among others.
• Faded black background: Lives lost to ableism, violence, illness and systemic injustice.

The diagonal stripes represent those with disabilities cutting across the walls and barriers that would separate them from abled society, per the university. They also represent "light and creativity cutting through the darkness."

In 2019, Ann Magill -- a writer with cerebral palsy -- created the first version of the Disability Pride Flag.

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"Flags can raise awareness and are a symbol of solidarity, pride and acceptance and the Disability Pride flage has is no exception," the university said. "Magill had attended an event for the 20th anniversary of the ADA and was disappointed that it was confined to the basement and grounds of an independent living center — instead of out in public. The experience motivated her to create a Disability Pride Flag."

Magill later redesigned the flag in 2021 after community members expressed that the original version, when looked at on a screen, caused symptoms in those with visually-triggered disabilities.

"We’re committed to building a more inclusive, accessible and equitable Richmond for all," the city said in its post. "Let’s continue to uplift disability pride, challenge stigma, and celebrate the strength in diversity."