With PRIDE MONTH STILL GOING STRONG – AND THIS PAST WEEKEND BEING STONEWALL PRIDE. I ALWAYS TELL FOLKS TO BRING OUR ALLIES TO PRIDE .I ALWAYS DO – WE NEED THEM !!BUT WHAT MAKES AN ALLY A GREAT ALLY – ALLIES YOU ARE ON MY MIND – – There is a lot of debate on what good allyship looks like.
There are two kinds of “allies”: those who lift up the queer community, and those who seem most concerned with lifting up themselves. So, how do you become part of the Better group? WELL – Be Curious And Open-Minded
If you already know the basic concepts of what it means to be gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, asexual, etc., that’s great! But you should also recognize that there is no one way to be any of those things. LGBTQ people have different experiences and perspectives, and things like class, race, sex, gender, disability, and nationality can put can add to one’s experience of discrimination and oppression.
The LGBTQ movement is also relatively new, and many people are only beginning to find the terms and concepts to describe themselves. So, always be willing to learn about new identities and experiences.
Next – Learn To ‘Pass The Mic’
Learn to “speak up, not over”. As an ally, it’s important to speak up for the marginalized and oppressed, especially if people in positions of power are trying to silence them.
But, it’s also important to let people advocate for themselves and tell their own stories. So, the idea of “passing the mic” to LGBTQ people who may feel afraid to speak or who aren’t given the opportunity to do so. Uplift the voices of activists and advocates and give way to them in discussions that concern them.
Try to Recognize Your Privilege
As a straight and/or cisgender person, you are inherently more privileged than someone who isn’t. That means you may not know what it means to be denied certain rights, you may have certain safety nets that others do not, and blind spots that you can’t even recognize immediately.
Understanding this allows you to better Ally –
Also -Take Action
You can’t just identify as an ally and call it a day. Being nice to LGBTQ people is great and all, but it’s the bare minimum of allyship.
Put your privilege into action by:
Speaking up against discriminatory remarks or oppressive policies at school, work, or in social situations;
Calling out your friends for making offensive jokes, even when there are no LGBTQ people around
Showing up to protests and Pride events. Remember, there is strength in numbers.
The Bottomline
Being a straight ally- It means standing up for your LGBTQ friends and family members, even when it’s not easy. It means using your privilege to help others, and speaking out against discrimination and hate. And it means being there for your queer friends, always.
If you want to be a better straight ally, start by educating yourself on the issues that affect LGBTQ people. Because tough months are coming and you are our key to success!! We Love you.
