At Run & Fly we love to celebrate how unique we all are as human beings and show as many different people on our website to represent that you don't have to be 5'11 and a size six anymore to model or be fashionable, you just have to have a body and love our clothing! We wanted to see what we can do to help spread the message of disability pride as it is so important to represent the people who love and support our brand.
What is Disability Pride Month?
Disability Pride Month has been described as a day to “accept and honour each person’s uniqueness” and “promote visibility and mainstream awareness” of positive pride felt by people with disabilities.
For the disabled community, the month encourages self-acceptance and embracing all disabilities.
The month is a chance to focus on and celebrate the disabled community and their pride. Alongside the celebration, the month is also a chance to kickstart conversations about disability experiences and issues.
We love to have open and honest conversations with our followers, fans and customers. We are always striving to improve and be as inclusive as we can to all communities.
How to celebrate Disability Pride Month
There are many ways to celebrate Disability Pride Month in the workplace. Here are a few of our suggestions to get you started for Disability Pride Month 2022:
Raise awareness
It is crucial to raise awareness and start conversations with your work place, friends or family about disability and the disabled community. This can be something as simple as sending or discussing a podcast on the subject, following your favourite disabled influencers or sharing more on the topic on your own social media about what the month is all about.
Learn about Ableism
Let’s get real — living as a disabled person is hard. Not only is there the lived reality of having a chronic illness, but our society has a long way to go when it comes to dismantling the negative connotations around disability.
Learn about Disability First Language
People First vs. Disability First will continue to be a conversation within the disability community. Overall when in doubt about which language to use, the best rule of thumb is to ask someone how they would like to be referred. If you are in a situation where you cannot do that, Disability First language should be your default.
Read Books, blogs and listen to Podcasts by Disabled Authors
There are so many wonderful creatives that you can follow and listen to from many different genres. Here is just a few to start you off:
Rosie Jones is one of our favourite comedians on the circuit and wears many a pair of dungarees so we might be biased!
Podcast - https://shows.acast.com/daddy
Mission Accessible - https://www.channel4.com/programmes/mission-accessible
The Accessible Stall - Alice Wong
- In-depth interviews and discussions with disability community leaders and creators, on disability identity, culture, activism and politics, with an emphasis on intersections of disability and race, gender, sexuality, and other marginalised identities.
https://disabilityvisibilityproject.com/podcast-2/
STAIRS FOR BREAKFAST: An inspiring memoir by a man with Cerebral Palsy who doesn't let anything stand in his way
This is the kind of book you should read when you think you have had a bad day. Patrick Souiljaert was deprived of oxygen for the first 4 minutes of his life and consequently denied the gift of easy movement and speech for the remainder of it.
It means that this brutally frank autobiography of someone with Cerebral Palsy who needs crutches for walking and eats stairs for breakfast when he falls, should be a depressing experience for the reader. It isn’t.
Patrick’s sense of humour and love of his fellow human beings shines through. His recall is amazing, his perception stunning. You, the reader, will share what it is like to have a profound physical disability, what it is like to have people patronise you when your IQ is several notches above those patronising you. You will laugh, you will cry and you will never feel sorry for yourself again.
Patrick’s purpose in life is to help and inspire people - and make a difference in the world. Stairs For Breakfast is giving Patrick a platform as an inspirational speaker.
The Life Of Pippa
Pippa Stacey is “the kind of disabled person you don’t see in the media.” A Yorkshire-based writer, author, TEDX speaker and tea-lover. Pippa shares what it’s like living with a chronic illness in your twenties.
Some of her passions include theatre and literature, which she writes about regularly. As well as her experiences with wheelchair accessibility in venues in her home city of York.
Support Disabled Artists and Creatives and Influencers
@disabled_eliza - Disabled Eliza is an online activist who talks about disability awareness LGBTQ+ positivity and lifestyle things. They have also modelled for us and we continue to learn from them daily.
@thechroniciconic - Jess in her own words is Just another Autistic & Mad Cripfluencer™️ Jewess with Adhd. Who openly shares her life with her followers and what it is like to live with a chronic illness.
@chronicallyjenni - Disabled Model & Creator giving you Chronic Illness Hacks & Mobility Aid Tips she also has a YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/chronicallyjenni
@innaboxdesign - Invisible illness club spreading awareness with joy. She is part of the Spoonie community.
