What is an Ally?

In his or her most general sense, an Ally is "a person who is a member of the dominant or majority group who works to end oppression in his or her personal and professional life through support of, and as an advocate for, the oppressed population." (Washington and Evans, Becoming an Ally) Allies to racial, religious and ethnic minorities have been remarkably effective in promoting positive change in the dominant culture, and only recently has their instrumental position been extended to the area of sexual orientation. The past few years have witnessed the development of heterosexual Ally organizations which have attempted to make the culture of a campus or workplace more aware and accepting of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered individuals.

(Taken from HRC website.)

Ten Ways to be an Ally!

1. Don't assume everyone is heterosexual.
2. Do not ever out anyone. Just because you might know, don't assume that others do.
3. Avoid anti-gay jokes and conversations.
4. Create an atmosphere of acceptance.
5. Use all inclusive language. Use "partner" instead of "boyfriend" or "girlfriend."
6. Actively pursue a process of self-education. Read and ask questions.
7. Acknowledge and take responsibility for your own socialization, prejudice and privilege.
8. Educate others: one-on-one, group programming, teachable moments.
9. Interrupt prejudice and take action against oppression even when people from the target group are not present.
10. Have a vision of a healthy, multicultural society.

An Ideal Ally is Someone Who...

• Uses gender neutral terms, such as partner or significant other, instead of gender specific terms like boyfriend or girlfriend
• Doesn’t preface a statement on LGBT issues with “I’m straight, but…”
• Doesn’t expect an LGBT person to speak for the entire LGBT community
• Doesn’t assume
• Treats partners of LGBT friends the same as they would a straight friend’s partner
• Doesn’t think of people as “my gay student” or “my lesbian friend”
• Objects to homophobic jokes in all situations
• Doesn’t tolerate homophobic comments
• Understands the basics of LGBT issues but is not afraid to ask questions
• Points out when a historical figure or author is LGBT and doesn’t dismiss LGBT content in literature
• Avoids stereotypes and makes clear that stereotypes don’t represent the entire LGBT community