July marks Disability Pride Month—an important recognition that, while much has been accomplished, much still needs to be done to remove barriers for people with disabilities so they can lead a full life. In the past, if you had a disability, such as spina bifida or cerebral palsy, had been injured in combat, or had a swimming accident from diving into shallow water, you faced insurmountable barriers to leading a full life. Accessing public transportation or a bathroom, crossing streets in a wheelchair, or going to a restaurant were nearly, if not absolutely, impossible.
A person with a disability was to be hidden away, not seen, and definitely not accommodated. That is until the disabilities communities became politically active and pushed to have federal laws require changes to accommodate those with disabilities. The road to recognizing the civil rights that protect individuals with disabilities was fraught with resistance from those who didn’t want to pay for the accommodations that would be necessary to meet this goal.
Several important legislative landmarks, including the Social Security Amendments of 1960, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other legislation paved the way to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, signed into law by President George H. W. Bush. This law protects individuals with disabilities from discrimination in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all places that are open to the public. However, there is still work to do and it is important for nurses to be active in the policy arena to continue supporting legislation and regulation that helps people with disabilities to live a full, meaningful, and engaged life. GW School of Nursing is committed to continuing this work.