According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, &lsquo;allyship&rsquo; means the state or condition of being an ally i.e., supportive association with another person or group. People who do not belong to the community need to learn how to be good allies for the LGBTQ+ human rights movement.

Gif: Gifer

Being an LGBTQ+ ally is of importance because academic research suggests that family, as well as social rejection experienced by the LGBTQ+ community, is an important risk factor for several types of negative consequences, including depression and suicidal ideas, anxiety, and substance abuse. Research has also shown that when a queer individual receives support from their family, friends, peers, and numerous others around them it has been associated with positive outcomes, such as improved self-esteem and overall well-being. Many people form their own &lsquo;families&rsquo; made up of friends and others, including allies. These individuals who care for and love them end up becoming their key sources of social support.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Pic : Canva

1. Educate yourself: Exploring freely available resources like documentaries, films, podcasts, and social media campaigns where trans experiences are explored with nuance. Learning enough can influence long-term everyday language and behavior which may cause a person to feel included rather than excluded. One example could be the usage of preferred personal pronouns in email signatures and during meetings.
2. Understand the adversities: To be a good ally, it&rsquo;s important to understand how queer people&rsquo;s gender identity and sexuality exist in other social issues. The queer community has a prolonged history of sex employment, including but not restricted to survival sex, or when a person is ready to barter sex for basic needs, such as food, shelter, and clothing. They also face an overwhelming amount of workplace discrimination. Studies suggest that lesbian, gay, and bisexual employees are more likely to report being fired from a job or denied a position compared to their heterosexual counterparts.
3. Be a good listener: Being a good queer ally starts with stepping back and listening to the people you want to help. LGBTQ people know best how to liberate themselves. By truthfully centering their voices, non-queer people can deliver a state of allyship.
4. Rouse the most marginalized in the community: Good LGBTQ allies comprehend how to raise not merely queer voices but black queer voices, queer sex-workers voices, and underprivileged trans peoples' voices, among further identities. It is most reasonable to celebrate those who typically are considered most marginalized, within queer spaces and media, e.g., trans and gender-nonconforming people, people of color, sex workers, poor and undocumented people, etc.&nbsp;

A few ways in which one can stand together for human rights and be an ally to the community are: 

Pic: Canva

5. Make room for LGBTQ people to exist equally: Being a good LGBTQ ally also means supporting the community&rsquo;s artists, hosting panels for queer sex educators, or providing a meet-and-greet space for the most marginalized identities.
6. Be a constant ally: Don&rsquo;t just think about LGBTQ+ rights during Pride Month. While same-sex marriage and queer rights are becoming a topic of talk, the fight isn&rsquo;t over since many of the problems that queer people dealt with earlier, such as discrimination against trans sex workers, are problems that haunt the community to date. Pride Month should unquestionably be celebratory, but it should consistently center on the queer community&rsquo;s solidity, it's battle to survive, and the matters that impact all its members- and should do so all year long.
7. Help the students: LGBTQ+ students who may face additional and unique stressors navigating largely heteronormative spaces. Schools need to create an environment of psychological safety for the students to be authentic, to be themselves, and in some cases, to feel comfortable coming out if they choose to do so.
8. Run checks on yourself: Confront your prejudices about gender-appropriate roles and behaviors. Do not presume that every friend and co-worker of yours is heterosexual. Speak out against statements and jokes that attack the LGBTQ+ community. Defend your LGBT friends against discrimination. Use non-gender-specific language and learn about the diversity of gender and sexuality. Learn about LGBTQ+ inequality and policy issues, and educate yourself about their histories, cultures, and concerns.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

In conclusion, reach out to the LGBTQ+ community and make connections to strengthen your advocacy work. Be available and responsive to the essentials and troubles of the community. Always be a good listener to their voices with an open mind.

“It’s not necessary to belong to the community to support the community”.

Lack of allyship: “Be an Ally! Be the Change!”

lack-of-allyship-be-an-ally-be-the-change-1