03/08/2026
March is Women’s History Month.
Disabled women have shaped history, advanced civil rights, challenged artistic norms and transformed how we understand disability.
From Judy Heumann’s leadership in the disability rights movement to Harriet Tubman’s abolitionist legacy, from Frida Kahlo’s groundbreaking art to Alice Wong’s impact on disability storytelling and advocacy, their contributions continue to influence generations.
Representation matters. History includes disabled women. Who else would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments.
Image description: Graphic titled “Disabled Women Who Shaped History” with NDI logo in the top right corner. The slide features four women with brief biographies and photos: Judy Heumann (1947–2023), disability rights activist and wheelchair user who helped lead the 504 Sit-in and advance the Americans with Disabilities Act; Harriet Tubman (c. 1822–1913), abolitionist and political activist who sustained a traumatic brain injury and likely lived with epilepsy; Frida Kahlo (1907–1954), Mexican painter who lived with chronic pain and mobility impairments; and Alice Wong (1974–2025), disability rights activist with spinal muscular atrophy and founder of the Disability Visibility Project. Portrait images of each woman appear below their biographies.
