Disability Pride Month: What It Is and Why It Matters
July may be over, but the impact of Disability Pride Month continues to resonate—especially within communities that center inclusion, like ours at Wildwood Music Therapy.
Disability Pride Month is celebrated every July to honor the history, achievements, experiences, and struggles of the disability community. It marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) being signed into law on July 26, 1990—a milestone that legally affirmed the rights of people with disabilities in the U.S.
But Disability Pride Month is about more than legislation. It’s about visibility, celebration, and empowerment. It challenges outdated narratives that frame disability only in terms of limitation, and instead centers disability as a natural and valuable part of human diversity.
Why Disability Pride Matters in Music Therapy
As music therapists, we work alongside people of all abilities. We witness firsthand how creativity and self-expression thrive when environments are inclusive and accessible. Music therapy is inherently adaptable—it meets people where they are, honors their unique ways of communicating, and fosters connection without requiring words or conformity.
Disability Pride Month reminds us to:
Center the voices of people with disabilities in our work.
Celebrate neurodiversity and physical diversity as sources of strength, not barriers.
Advocate for accessibility in every space where healing and creativity occur.
Pride Beyond July
Even though it's now August, the spirit of Disability Pride Month shouldn't end with the calendar page. Accessibility, respect, and celebration of disabled lives are values we should carry into every month.
Here are a few ways to keep that momentum going:
Learn from disabled creators, musicians, and activists.
Review your language, spaces, and materials for accessibility.
Create therapy goals that affirm identity—not just “function.”
At Wildwood Music Therapy we’re committed to building a community where all clients—disabled or not—can explore their strengths, express themselves authentically, and take pride in every part of who they are.
