Throughout LGBTQ Pride Month (June), the LGBTQ community will be reflecting on the past and looking forward to the future. According to RespectAbility, among lesbian, gay and bisexual adults 30 percent of men and 36 percent of women also identify as having a disability. The disability community intersects with every other minority group, and the LGBTQ community is no exception.
Some celebrities and business leaders are using their voice to share their stories, educating people about both visible and invisible disabilities. They are defying the statistics and have remained highly successful with their disabilities.
Our nation’s economy is strongest when it is inclusive of the value that diverse talent brings to the workplace. These celebrities are making a difference in how audiences, both LGBTQ and straight, perceive disability and in setting high expectations for youth with disabilities. People with disabilities of all backgrounds can be amongst the highest achievers on earth. Having LGBTQ people with disabilities as positive role models for success is important for children and young adults who identify as members of both of these communities.
These role models are especially important to acknowledge during LGBTQ Pride Month. However, their work should be valued and appreciated year-round. RespectAbility, a national nonprofit working to fight stigmas and advance opportunities for people with disabilities, will be celebrating Pride Month by highlighting the intersection of disability and LGBTQ daily on its social media channels including personal reflections and profiles of influential LGBTQ people with disabilities, and will continue to recognize their important contributions on a regular basis.
