Disability Pride Month books: 7 reads to celebrate differences

Disability Pride Month is observed every July to promote visibility and mainstream awareness of the positive pride felt by people with disabilities – and there are many books from authors with these lived experiences. This month of observance originated in the United States and has since gained traction globally.

Read more: Books to celebrate Disability Pride Month 2022

The event emerged from the Disability Rights Movement, which advocates for equal treatment and accessibility for individuals with disabilities. It shares the same spirit of celebration, empowerment, and recognition found in other pride-centric movements.

Throughout Disability Pride Month, people are encouraged to recognise and honour the experience of disability — not as a source of shame or stigma, but as an integral aspect of human diversity deserving acceptance and respect. Participants might engage in parades, educational events, art exhibits, online discussions, and more to further these goals.

Moreover, this month serves to highlight the various achievements of individuals with disabilities and to shed light on the issues they face, such as discrimination, inaccessibility, and social stigmas. Advocacy for policy changes and improved accommodations often comes to the forefront during this time.

Books to read on Disability Pride Month

• Disability Visibility by Alice Wong. Wong presents a powerful anthology of personal essays, examining the intricacies of disability in contemporary society and shedding light on hidden stories of resilience. Check out our episode on Alice Wong’s book.
• Sitting Pretty: The View From My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body by Rebekah Taussig. Taussig’s memoir offers an intimate exploration of her disabled experience, challenging societal norms and advocating for body acceptance and disability inclusion in everyday life.
• Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha.
  Piepzna-Samarasinha presents a crucial guide to disability justice, reflecting on care work’s significance and envisioning a world where care is shared communally. We look at Care Work in episode 45.
• The Pretty One: On Life, Pop Culture, Disability, and Other Reasons to Fall in Love with Me by Keah Brown. Brown navigates disability, pop culture, and self-love in her candid book, offering a refreshing perspective on life and representation for people with disabilities.
• Poor Little Sick Girls: A Love Letter to Unacceptable Women by Ione Gamble. Gamble’s powerful narrative examines society’s perception of ‘unacceptable’ women, particularly those with chronic illnesses, and champions their rights, strength, and individuality.
• Crippled By Frances Ryan. Ryan’s book exposes societal prejudice against disabled individuals, arguing against systemic barriers and advocating for compassion, understanding, and inclusive policies.
• Sick: A Memoir by Porochista Khakpour. In her poignant memoir, Khakpour chronicles her life-long battle with late-stage Lyme disease, giving a raw account of her experiences with illness, identity, and resilience.

Read more: Amazing books by disabled authors on International Day of Disabled Persons

As mentioned, we’ve spoken to Porochista Khakpour on her book Sick: A Memoir, where she talks about embracing intersectional identities, including her disability.