December 3rd

Today is December 3rd,

the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

For years, I resisted participating in what I considered performative celebrations that ignored the real needs of people with disabilities, often saying, “December 3rd should not be celebrated.” This year, however, I have decided to change that stance.

[If you think differently or have additions, please join the conversation in the comments :)]

Just as we celebrate women on March 8th and LGBT+ individuals in June—recognizing their existence, rights-based struggles, and the beauty of being together in society—I believe we should also celebrate the existence of people with disabilities, whether their differences are visible or invisible.

But what exactly should we celebrate?

• Let us celebrate people with disabilities who, as a dear friend once said, “consider survival itself my greatest achievement”, managing to live despite all barriers.

• Let us celebrate the families who never leave them alone.

• Let us celebrate businesses and individual initiatives that strive to solve accessibility problems the public sector fails to address.

• Let us celebrate educators who work selflessly for the development of students with disabilities in special education schools and inclusive classrooms.

• Let us celebrate companies that do not hire to merely meet quotas, but recognize people with disabilities as talent.

• Let us celebrate coaches who train athletes with disabilities, whose medals fill us with pride.

• Let us celebrate all those who advocate for equal rights for people with disabilities.

Let us celebrate the good, and encourage those who want to do good, so that no one has to roll their wheelchair out of their home and leave it by a parking spot with a sign reading “Accessible parking for disabled vehicles, thank you”—like in the photo below.

Photo: A wheelchair left by the roadside with a cardboard sign saying, “Accessible parking for disabled vehicles, thank you.”