It's the last day of Disability Pride Month, which is appropriate considering that we at Caffeinated Caregivers have been avoiding talking about this topic all month. To be honest, Disability Pride has got us up in our feels a little bit, because as disabled adults who are also caregivers to disabled kids, it brings up a lot of conflicting and confusing emotions as we try to figure out our place in all this.

And as far as we can tell, we're not alone in feeling a little confused about how we're supposed to engage with Disability Pride. So today, we're digging into some history behind Disability Pride, what we're actually celebrating during Disability Pride (spoiler: it's not actually the pain or suffering that we or our kids endure), why it's valuable and important to celebrate (but why it's not more important than protecting your own energy), AND how caregivers fit into all of this.

If you've been confused about what Disability Pride means for caregivers, this episode is for you. Let's get into it.

In this episode:

[00:00:00] Intro
[00:00:35] Erica and Alyssa discuss the merits present (or not) in grapefruit
[00:04:16] Why Erica and Alyssa have been avoiding this conversation topic
[00:10:57]Alyssa's big and complicated feelings around Disability Pride (and why being a caregiver has changed how she would otherwise interact with Disability Pride)
[00:16:19] A quick history of Disability Pride Month
[00:22:53] What allyship looks like and how caregivers fit into Disability Pride
[00:30:10] Why some caregivers don't feel like they relate to Disability Pride
[00:30:38] The life and death ramifications of untreated mental health struggles (and it's not just about ideation around unaliving yourself)
[00:35:37] Ways that caregivers can join in the celebration and why they can let go of guilt if they don't
[00:41:18] What we're actually celebrating (and what we aren't) during Disability Pride

For the transcript, our blog, links, and more, visit our website: https://www.caffeinatedcaregivers.com/podcast/ep11
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Thanks friends! Talk soon!