Disability Pride by Kate Stanforth

Disability Pride Month is an annual event used to promote visibility and awareness of positive pride felt by people with disabilities.  The event started in the 1990s but unfortunately it still doesn’t get much mainstream recognition.  Disability Pride means different things to different people, which is one of the reasons why I think it hasn’t gained as much traction as a lot of us hoped, but for me, it’s all about my journey of finding confidence in my ‘new’ disabled body.

Feeling Lost

When I first became disabled at the age of 14, I was embarrassed.  Using a wheelchair was one of the worst things I could imagine and I had panic attacks every time I saw someone I knew when I was out in it.  I spent years trying not to ‘look disabled’ and I had no pride in anything I did.  It was an extremely low point in my life and the only word I can use to describe myself is ‘lost’.

Finding Myself

There was a very long period in-between where I had to find myself.  Find out about my condition, find my passion and find my strength.  It wasn’t until my 20s that I came to terms with my disability.  I’d love to pinpoint what it was and share it with you but in all honesty, I think it was time.  This was when I decided on a few things; I wanted to get myself a decent wheelchair, get back into the dance industry and gain some more independence.  Those three things helped me get some control back over my uncontrollable illness and ultimately helped me gain my fight back.

Working with Mimbre, Daryl Beeton Productions and ParaCheer

Fast forward to last week.  At the age of 27, I went on my first dance related course.  I was lucky enough to try acrobatics with Mimbre, Daryl Beeton Productions and ParaCheer.  You’re probably wondering how that works being a wheelchair user – I did too!  The course wasn’t just about gaining acrobatics skills.  It was about confidence building, working with both non-disabled and disabled artists as a team and free creation with no pressure.  It’s the type of course I wish I had taken part in six years ago when I started tiptoeing into the dance world and hit barrier after barrier.  It was nice to be in such an inclusive, inviting environment.

What I Learned

Now how does this link into disability pride?  Well, this was one of the rare moments where I saw my disability as being a useful tool.  Without myself, and the others with disabilities being there, we wouldn’t have been able to create the work we did.  We wouldn’t have been able to create the pyramids, the connections, the shapes…I felt like I was needed, wanted, and that was a true blessing.  I’ve spent a lot of my disabled life feeling guilty for people having to help me.  But for once, I – specifically my disability, was useful, beautiful and unique.

My Message to You

So my message for Disability Pride is, you might not yet feel pride in your disability.  And that’s ok.  But please connect with others around you, especially the disabled community and we’ll help build your confidence so that you can find it.  We’ve got you.

For more information about Mimbre head to https://mimbre.co.uk/.  For Daryl Beeton Productions visit https://darylbeeton.com/ and for ParaCheer head online to https://www.paracheer.org/.