35 Years of the ADA: What It Means for ADHD and the Future of Disability Inclusion

Today, I thought we could take a moment to reflect.

On July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush. It was a transformative moment in U.S. civil rights history, outlawing discrimination based on disability and mandating accessibility in workplaces, schools, public transportation, communications, and more.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the ADA, an opportunity to celebrate progress and ask: who's still being left out?

A Legacy of Exclusion, and Change

To understand the importance of the ADA, we have to look at what came before it. In the late 1800s, cities like Chicago passed “ugly laws,” which criminalized people with visible disabilities for simply existing in public.

The last known arrest under such a law was in Omaha in 1974, less than two decades before the ADA was passed.

These laws were repealed, but the underlying prejudice remained. The disability rights movement had to fight hard for the visibility, dignity, and legal protection that many people take for granted today.

ADA's Impact - And Its Limits

Thanks to the ADA, millions of Americans now have legal protections in the workplace and public life. According to the 2023 American Community Survey:

• 44.7 million people in the U.S., 13.6% of the population, identified as having a disability

• 10.2 million working-age adults with disabilities were employed

• Their median annual earnings were $32,149, compared to a significantly higher national average

But not all disabilities are visible, and that brings us to ADHD.

Where Does ADHD Fit In?

ADHD is protected under the ADA, if it substantially limits one or more major life activities.

That means people with ADHD should be eligible for accommodations at school, at work, and in public life.

But in practice?

• Many people with ADHD struggle to get diagnosed, especially women, people of color.

• Accommodations are often misunderstood or denied

• Workplaces may fail to recognize ADHD as a legitimate disability

• There's still widespread stigma: “It's just laziness,” “Everyone has trouble focusing,” “You just need to try harder”

  
  

This is why the ADA’s legal protections must be paired with cultural understanding and systemic change.

The Path Forward: Inclusion for All Disabilities

The ADA laid the legal groundwork. But inclusion goes beyond compliance, especially when it comes to invisible and neurodivergent disabilities like ADHD.

So what can we do?

✅ Educate & Advocate

• Understand ADHD and other cognitive disabilities

• Use inclusive, respectful language

• Challenge stigma when you see it

  
  

✅ Listen & Respect

• Ask before assuming someone needs help

• Support autonomy and different ways of thinking or working

  
  

✅ Promote Accessibility

• Design workspaces and classrooms with neurodiversity in mind

• Advocate for flexible deadlines, clear communication, and sensory-friendly environments

  
  

✅ Be an Ally

• Support disability-led organizations

• Amplify the voices of people with ADHD and other disabilities

• Use your platform, big or small, to push for inclusion

As we mark ADA35, we honor how far we’ve come, but we also recognize how far we still have to go.

For people with disabilities, the fight is not just about laws. It's about being seen, supported, and respected, without having to prove they’re “disabled enough” to deserve it.

Let’s keep building a world where every kind of brain has a place to thrive!

Looking for a Supportive Community?

If you’re navigating life with ADHD and want a space where you feel understood, empowered, and supported, you’re not alone.

💬 I invite you to join my ADHD Small Group Coaching program, designed to help you build strategies, connect with others who get it, and thrive in your own way.

👉 Learn more and join here

Together, we can continue the work the ADA started by building inclusive spaces that uplift every mind.