Women for disability rights

By Arshia Verma

In honor of Women’s History Month (March), it is essential to recognize and appreciate female activists who have played a significant role in advancing disability rights. This list is not exhaustive. There are undoubtedly hundreds of women who have fearlessly contributed to the disability rights movement over the last century through sit-ins, protests, legislation, public speaking, and other forms of activism. However, we have done our best to showcase a few remarkable women who have made their mark on history and changed the lives of generations to come.

Elizabeth Ware Packard (1816-1897)

Elizabeth Ware Packard was one of the first ex-insane asylum inmate activists in America, and she was locked in the asylum because she disagreed with her husband’s religious and political views. After being declared sane a few years later, she called for reformed practices and higher living standards in these insane asylums. She also lobbied for asylum inmates to be granted the right to a jury trial before being locked away first in Illinois in 1869 and then around the country. She called major attention to the poor treatment of married women who could be declared insane by their husbands for mere disagreements and minor conflicts.

Alice T. Terry (1899-1987)

Alice T. Terry was a writer and Deaf activist who advocated for sign language to be taught on a large scale through colleges and national organizations. She argued that this would offer more independence to members of the Deaf community and held numerous leadership roles in national Deaf organizations. Terry felt that spreading sign language would allow for Deaf individuals to be better self-advocates and express their needs for the purpose of upward mobility. 

Judith Heumann (1947-present)

Judith Heumann was a protester and organizer throughout the 1970s and 80s and served as a policymaker, being the Assistant Secretary of Education for Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (1993-2001). Part of her mission was to prove to the world that disabilities did not need to be “cured” and that education and workplaces should instead focus on increasing accessibility. Heumann supported policies that emphasized educational and workplace inclusion, nondiscrimination, and independent living.

Kitty Cone (1944-2015)

Kitty Cone worked with Judy Heumannto advance the Independent Living Movement. The American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities received a promise from Jimmy Carter in 1976, saying that he would sign and implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to remove federal funding from public programs that discriminated against “handicapped” individuals. When he failed to keep his word, Cone, along with others at the Center for Independent Living, staged a sit-in at the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) office in San Francisco. This sit-in went on for almost one month, with around 100 people with disabilities occupying a floor of HEW while Cone served as a spokesperson and strategist for the cause. HEW Secretary Joseph Califano finally signed Section 504 as a result of Cone’s effort, which established legal protection and accessibility for people with disabilities in America.

Barbara Faye Waxman (1955-2001)

Barbara Faye Waxman’s messaging was revolutionary, as she was one of the first people to openly talk about the sexual and reproductive rights of people with disabilities. She argued that sexual fulfillment, sexuality as a political issue, and reproductive freedom were all glazed over by the disability rights movement and needed attention. She also fought with the Social Security Administration over the eligibility requirements that made it extremely difficult for two people with disabilities on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to marry each other without losing necessary benefits.