Allyship 101 – The Basics
It’s Pride month in the United States, and more people are talking about allyship these days. While the word “allyship” is used in many ways, people are still confused about its meaning. How is allyship different from kindness? Does allyship only apply to the queer community? Why is allyship important right now?
These are all great questions, and they deserve answers. I’ve been officially working in the allyship space for 10 years, but I’ve been unofficially involved in allyship since my teens. I started with volunteering at a local AIDS nonprofit when I was in high school. I kept seeing these images of AIDS patients being treated terribly, and I wanted to do something. So I volunteered. That’s one form of allyship.
Allyship spans across many groups and comes in many forms. Let’s take a minute to get grounded in the basics of allyship.
What is allyship?
I like to use the definition provided by Karen Catlin from her book, Better Allies.
“Everyday acts of allyship means using your position of privilege or authority to amplify, endorse, sponsor, and advocate for people who are members of underrepresented groups.”
Focus on the verbs in this definition – amplify, endorse, sponsor, and advocate. That’s a hearty list of actions already.
Who can practice allyship?
Anyone can be an ally. However, it’s most important to practice allyship in relationship with others. You can be a champion by wearing supportive gear and attending events. However, allyship goes deeper than these actions because allyship requires sacrifice.
The Racial Equity Tools glossary offers this definition of allyship:
“An action, not an identity. Members of the advantaged group recognize their privilege and work in solidarity with oppressed groups to dismantle the systems of oppression(s) from which they derive power, privilege, and acceptance. Requires understanding that it is in their own interest to end all forms of oppression, even those from which they may benefit in concrete ways. It means taking intentional, overt, and consistent responsibility for the changes we know are needed in our society, and often ignore or leave for others to deal with; it does so in a way that facilitates the empowerment of persons targeted by oppression. This framework can be used to imply that one does not feel directly implicated by the oppression.”
Allyship is about taking action and not shying away from difficult conversations and situations. Allies have skin in the game.
Why is allyship important?
Allyship is directly linked to diversity, inclusion, belonging, and accessibility. And these all directly impact business performance. When employees feel supported, they are more likely to stay with an organization. When employees do not feel supported, then their performance will suffer and may create unnecessary turnover.
The Center for Creative Leadership identifies how allyship supports performance:
“Studies have repeatedly shown that diverse teams drive better business performance, and companies with more diversity become more innovative, resilient, and better able to respond to complex challenges. In addition to understanding the business case for having diverse perspectives, there’s also a strong likelihood that the benefits of a diverse and inclusive organizational environment are already reflected in your organization’s mission statement and values.”
How do I show up as an ally?
The degrees of allyship vary, but allyship is defined by relationship. The first relationship is the one with yourself. You need to become aware of your socialization to different identities and groups. This may require educating yourself about different identities and groups. However, don’t get stuck in the education phase. Allyship is action.
While you will learn about allyship in your own education process, it’s important to ask the people in your community about allyship. How do they show up? How can you show up for them? When have they seen allyship go well? Harvard Business Review provides some great starting questions. Some actions may include:
· Using your pronouns when introducing yourself
· Identifying what voices might be missing within a project or team
· Showing up at events with a compassionate, listening approach
· Recommending marginalized employees on social media platforms
· Shutting down derogatory language and stories in your community
When do I step in as an ally?
I love this question! Too often we think of ally as an image that feels daunting and impossible. An ally is not a prize fighter – one who wins every fight and people fear you. An ally is not a warrior on a white horse coming in to save the day and waiting for praise. An ally is an everyday person who leans into their relationships, listens to their community, and stands up for the people who mean the most to them.
When do you step in as an ally? It’s not a clear-cut answer because you will need to ask the people in your community about allyship. Here are some questions to ask:
· What does allyship look like to you?
· What are some ways that you’ve positively experienced allyship?
· When do you feel most supportive?
· If something discriminatory is happening in front of us and toward you, how would you want me to respond?
Note that your community answers may change over time, so it’s important to keep asking and learning.
Where can I learn more about allyship?
Wow, there are so many resources out there. First, ask your community about allyship. Then research what you want to know about specific groups and/or intersectional identities. Intersectionality is a framework used to describe the situations experienced by people who identify with multiple marginalized groups.
As you seek out more learning resources, get specific on your needs. Do you want to learn about allyship in the workplace? Maybe you are looking for ways to support a family member who is transitioning genders. Or you might want specific actions to take, no matter what. Getting specific about your needs will help narrow down the search results.
Here are some Loftis Partners resources for you that we use in our Allyship Learning Circles.
Inclusion & Belonging with Amber Rucker
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