Access as an Act of Pride: Spotlighting Disability Justice in Our Communities
June is Pride Month—a time to celebrate the vibrant history, diversity, and collective liberation of the LGBTQ+ community. At Triangle, Inc., our mission is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves to live, work, and thrive as their authentic selves. Inclusion means ensuring that our celebrations are accessible to all, recognizing that disability rights and queer liberation march hand-in-hand.
As part of our ongoing commitment to community inclusion, we frequently look at the physical and structural layouts of spaces and events—examining how marches, festivals, and civic spaces can better accommodate individuals of all physical, sensory, and cognitive abilities. This Pride Month, we want to honor thinkers and organizers who pioneered the framework for why these intersections matter so deeply, including celebrated queer, disabled author and activist Eli Clare.
Shaping the Landscape of Disability Justice
Eli Clare—a white, disabled, genderqueer writer, poet, and social justice educator—has spent decades exploring how our bodies carry history, identity, and resilience over time. His groundbreaking 1999 book, Exile and Pride: Disability, Queerness, and Liberation, influenced landscape of modern disability politics by offering a new lens and framing.
Interestingly, this foundational text shares a piece of our local history: it was originally published by South End Press, a radical, activist-run publishing collective operating right out of Cambridge and Boston. In this book, Clare helped popularize the concept of the bodymind, challenging the traditional view of disability as a medical deficit to be “fixed.” Instead, he repositioned it as a distinct identity to be celebrated, calling on social movements to build worlds that are inherently accessible to everyone.
For Clare and the many of advocates and activists he has influenced, accessibility isn’t just a compliance checklist. It is a profound act of community care. When a Pride festival ensures wheelchair access, provides ASL interpreters, creates sensory-safe quiet zones, and designs clear pathways, it sends a clear message: “You belong here, entirely as you are.”
We need to build a world where access is a collective responsibility, not an afterthought.
Accessibility is a Shared Mission
This focus on systemic access, dignity, and personal autonomy mirrors our daily work at Triangle, Inc. Whether we are partnering with local employers to implement inclusive hiring practices, building independent life-skills through our multi-tiered curricula, or supporting individuals in our residential homes, we know that true independence requires an accessible world.
When community celebrations proactively build infrastructure for all abilities, they unlock the potential for everyone to experience civic connection and joy. The progress we see in Greater Boston’s streets, community forums, and festivals today is a direct result of queer, disabled advocates demanding a seat at the table—and an open path to get there.
Happy Pride!
This month and every month, Triangle, Inc. celebrates every advocate, organizer, and community member working at the intersections of Pride and ability. Thank you for making Massachusetts a more accessible, equitable, and joyful place for everyone.
