6 Ways To Be An LGBTQIA+ Ally All Year Long
It’s Pride Month — a celebration of love, equality, and acceptance all around the world! Pride Month is for everyone, whether you identify as LGBTQIA+ or are an ally. However, this celebration doesn’t come without the acknowledgment of the pain, stigma, and countless hurdles people from the LGBTQIA+ community face every single day.
While Pride Month is for everyone, Pride allyship should be all year long. Here are 6ways we can all be better allies and ensure that we extend our support to our LGBTQIA+ community today and every day.
1. Understand the history of Pride Month
The Gay Pride Movement began with the Stonewall Riots that took place in New York City in June 1969. The uprising was a series of spontaneous demonstrations by members of the gay community in response to the police raid. It is considered one of the most important events which led to the Gay Pride parade that took place a year after the uprising.
Pride Month is more than the parades and the flags. Taking the time out to understand the history of Pride Month and LGBTQIA+ movements is a good first step to being an ally.
2. Using the right pronouns
He/him or she/her — these are the pronouns we’ve grown up learning. The world has come a long way since then. While our understanding of gender diversity is constantly expanding, it is also important to expand our understanding of pronouns. Always use the right pronouns while addressing someone, without assuming their pronouns.
Feminine: She, her, hers
Masculine: He, him, his
Gender Neutral: They*, them, their
Gender Neutral: Ze, zir, zirs
Gender Neutral: Ze, hir, hirs
It’s important to note that other pronouns or no pronouns might be preferred by some people. Being mindful and remembering a person’s pronouns can go a long way.
3. Donate to LGBTQIA+ Organisations
There are a number of organisations working towards the betterment of the community by fighting for their rights, providing them access to basic necessities, providing employment, healthcare support, among many other efforts. These organisations need your help to continue relentlessly working towards helping the people of a community who have been discriminated against for decades. You can lend your support by directly donating to known organisations or through crowdfunding platforms.
4. Defend your LGBTQIA+ friends/family members/colleagues
For years now, the community has been subject to ridicule, name-calling, bias, bullying and discrimination every step of the way. To be an ally, it’s important to not only recognise these behaviours, but also defend your LGBTQIA+ friends/family members/colleagues. So the next time you notice someone being discriminated against at work because of their identity or choices or someone sends a homophobic WhatsApp forward on that family group — call.them.out.
5. Read, Watch, Follow
Read stories from the LGBTQIA+ community by queer authors, watch films, documentaries, or videos about the community, movement, and challenges, and follow queer activists on social media who tirelessly work towards this cause.
6. Have an open mind
Being an ally also means being able to be there to listen with an open mind. Building trust and creating a safe space for your LGBTQIA+ friend/family member/colleague to share their thoughts and feelings is important. Be someone they can count on.
We at Donatekart believe in equal opportunities, equal rights, and inclusion. Above all, we believe that love is love. You can support LGBTQIA+ fundraisers here.
