Mad Pride is a social and activist movement that celebrates and reclaims “mad” identity for people who have experienced mental distress, psychiatric diagnoses, or mental health services. Participants view madness not solely as illness or deficit, but as a valid form of human diversity, often with creative, cultural, or spiritual value. The movement draws parallels to LGBTQ+ Pride or Disability Pride, emphasizing pride over shame, challenging stigma, and advocating for rights and alternatives to traditional psychiatry.

Key Aspects

• Reclamation of Language — Activists reclaim terms like “mad,” “crazy,” “lunatic,” or “psycho” as positive or neutral identifiers, rejecting pathologizing labels.
• Goals — It combats discrimination, promotes peer support, affirms mad communities, and sometimes critiques coercive treatments or the medical model of mental health.
• Events — Mad Pride includes parades, festivals, art shows, poetry, music, and protests (e.g., “bed pushes” symbolizing escape from institutionalization). Many celebrations occur in July, linked to Bastille Day as a symbol of liberation from oppressive systems.

History

The modern movement began in 1993 in Toronto, Canada, as “Psychiatric Survivor Pride Day,” responding to prejudice against people with psychiatric histories. It spread globally by the late 1990s, with events in the UK, Australia, South Africa, and elsewhere. Roots trace back to 1970s psychiatric survivor and anti-psychiatry activism, including groups like the Insane Liberation Front.

Relation to Other Movements

Mad Pride overlaps with neurodiversity (viewing conditions like autism or ADHD as natural variations) and the broader psychiatric survivor/consumer/ex-patient movement. Some branches are more radical, questioning medication or diagnosis, while others focus on destigmatization and community support.

The movement remains active today through local events, online communities, and scholarship like Mad Studies, though its visibility varies by region.