Pride, Disability Rights, and the Work of Belonging

 Hey, everyone. It’s Alison. We need to talk.

I have had the privilege to work for Community Living Huntsville as its Communications Specialist since 2021. I am proud to work for an organization that champions disability rights and community inclusion for people with developmental disabilities.

I find it difficult to understand how anyone could want to exclude people from a community for simply existing as themselves – and even more difficult to understand how anyone could feel anger, hate, or violence toward a person for the same reason. I am an advocate for working together to make our community a better place to live for everyone – and that is what Community Living Huntsville has championed since 1962: our community is stronger when we respect each other and work to create a community of belonging together.

That is why, after posting a photo on social media earlier this month of myself and some colleagues holding progress pride flags to celebrate Pride Month as allies, I was dismayed and disgusted to find vitriolic comments on both Facebook and Instagram. In 5 years, I had never seen these kinds of comments on our posts. Until now. Comments that expressed revulsion. Comments that baselessly accused the 2S-LGBTQIA+ community of harming children. Comments that were dismissive. Comments that flung slurs at us and at 2S-LGBTQIA+ community members. These comments made me sad. Angry. Defiant.

No one has just one part to their identity. For example, I am a woman, I am white, I am a communications professional, I have chronic illness, and I am Canadian. That list is not exhaustive. The idea that different parts of a person’s identity overlap and interact, shaping their experiences in ways that cannot be understood by looking at each part separately, is called intersectionality. This is reality – and it means that some but not all people with disabilities, in addition to so many other parts of their identities, are also members of the 2S-LGBTQIA+ community. So, when hateful commenters attack the 2S-LBGTQIA+ community and its allies, they are attacking people with developmental disabilities, too.

Our community has more allies than bigots, though. The vile comments did not go unchallenged with 174 supportive reactions and several biting retorts. (My favourite clapback was, “Ooo, someone sure got triggered by a rainbow flag.”) Regardless, we have obliterated the harmful comments from these posts and turned off comments. No one can comment now, not even in support.

There are other ways for you to stand up for a welcoming and inclusive community where everyone has the opportunity to belong.

My colleague, Jennifer Jerrett, recently announced the new Mulligans and Mischief Golf Classic happening at Deerhurst Resort on September 24. This signature fundraiser for Community Living Huntsville promises prizes, laughs, and plenty of mischief. But it’s not all fun and games. Funds raised will support our affordable housing initiatives so people with developmental disabilities and families we serve can find and keep roofs over their heads in our community – instead of being pushed out of it. By participating or sponsoring, you help strengthen our community when others are trying to tear it apart.

And remember: efforts to advance equity and inclusion are interconnected. The disability rights movement has benefited from and contributed to broader social movements that have challenged discrimination and expanded human rights. Progress toward equity for any group helps build a more inclusive society for all.

I hope to see you on the course.

Sincerely,

Alison Brownlee

Communications Specialist

June 2026