How to be an ally
This IDAHOBIT Day you might hear people saying, ‘show your allyship’, or ‘be a good ally’, but what does being a good ally actually look like?
An ally to the LGBTQIA+ community is someone proactively supports and advocates for equality, especially if a situation is challenging or uncomfortable. An ally is often someone that doesn't face LGBTQIA+ discrimination. They have the power to help create a safe and welcoming environment for their peers, family and friends that do face discrimination.
A good ally is someone that models inclusive language, which can look like:
- Asking someone’s pronouns or offering yours:
Asking or offering your pronouns can help someone feel comfortable in a situation and show that you are supportive.
“What are your pronouns?” “Thanks for asking! My pronouns are They/Them”
“My pronouns are She/Her, what are yours?” “I use He/Him pronouns”
2. Avoid Assumptions about someone’s gender or sexuality, which can look like:
Using language that assumes someone’s gender or sexuality can be hurtful. Using gender neutral language ensures you are inclusive of all gender and sexualities.
“What's your partners name? They are really funny!”
A good ally is also someone learns and promotes inclusivity through:
3. Actively Listening
Listening to the experiences of your LGBTQIA+ friends, family or peers with an open mind. If people ask you questions about the community or for your opinion on an issue, recommend LGBTQIA+ books, magazines, podcasts or social media accounts they can follow. This allows for people from the community to give their lived experience perspective.
4. Visible support
Displaying visible symbols of LGBTQIA+ inclusion shows to others that you’re someone that is an ally. This can include wearing a rainbow pin on your lanyard, having your pronouns in your social media bio, sharing content from the LGBTQIA+ people and participating in events like IDAHOBIT day.
Understanding these experiences and applying these ideas will help you to show good allyship to LGBTQIA+, from a place of genuine understanding and support.
Written by Content Creator Edie