TW: Mentions of suicide, assisted dying and mental health
From 20 November to 20 December, Disability History Month (DHM) is recognised and celebrated across the UK, creating a space for disabled voices, histories and struggles to be recognised. Since its founding in 2010, the month has challenged society to rethink how disability is understood – as a social issue shaped by barriers, prejudice and exclusion, rather than viewing it as a personal setback.
This year’s theme, “Disability, Life and Death,” could not be more pressing. As assisted dying legislation continues to move through Parliament, disabled activists are concerned that political debates about “choice” and “dignity” risk, reinforcing dangerous narratives about whose lives are seen as valuable.
Baroness Jane Campbell, a disabled crossbench peer and long-time campaigner of disability issues with Not Dead Yet UK, has spoken powerfully about feeling excluded from discussions on assisted dying. She has described disabled people as “a cohort of people who are missing from the conversations”, despite being among those most affected by such a bill. “We do not enjoy coming here today to plead for our lives,” she said. “It takes away our humanity… This is about our right to breathe and survive and live and have value.” Her words are a powerful message in such an uncertain time.
Disabled people have repeatedly been judged through the lens of “quality of life” by non-disabled institutions – particularly between medicine and the state. Many disabled people can recount repeatedly being told they would never walk, never learn, never live independently. And yet our history is full of disabled people who defy this social constraint not simply because they ignored their disability, but from gaining support and access to opportunity through strong voices and principled character.
The shadow of eugenics looms over these conversations, particularly this year. Across the UK, Europe, North America, Australia and other places, millions of disabled people were forcibly sterilised, institutionalised or killed in the name of so-called “scientific progress.” This is just a fraction of history that showcases the most brutal expression of an ideology that already existed globally. This is why Disability History Month 2025’s focus on life and death is rooted in lived and historical reality.
Yet DHM is also about progress, resistance and inclusion – especially in the workplace. A theme previously covered in 2024 under Disability, Livelihood and Employment. This serves as a vital reminder that economic justice is inseparable from human dignity. While 5.5 million disabled people were in employment in the UK in mid-2025, the disability employment rate still stands at just 52.8%, compared to 82.5% for non-disabled people. Disabled workers are also twice as likely to experience discrimination, bullying and unfair treatment at work.
Disability History Month exists to raise awareness on a variety of themes because progress has never been freely given. In 2010, a parliamentary motion signed by 79 MPs formally recognised the month and called on schools, universities, employers and the media to promote equality and assess how policies impact disabled people. Fifteen years later, that call is more relevant than ever.
As Parliament debates assisted dying, as workplaces claim inclusion, and as austerity continues to disproportionately harm disabled people, Disability History Month 2025 asks a difficult question: Do we truly value disabled lives – or only tolerate them conditionally? This month must not become an afterthought, where inclusion is only remembered when disability does not visibly disrupt the daily lives of non-disabled people. It should be present alongside every policy decision, as equality is not a request, but a requirement. This month is vital in celebrating disabled achievement, but also to confront the systems that still decide whose lives are deemed worth living.
Emily Callan (she/her)
qmunicatemagazine.co.uk 