How Can You Be An LGBTQ+ Ally?

Pride Month, which is observed in June every year, is a month dedicated to the celebration and recognition of the LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, Queer) community.  The + is an inclusive symbol to mean 'and others' to include people of all identities. This month is also a reminder to the world about the struggles of people who belong to the LGBTQ+ community. 

Pride Month is a commemoration to the Stonewall Riots that took place in the USA in June 1969. These were a series of spontaneous demonstrations by the LGBTQ+ community in response to a police raid at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York city. These demonstrations are considered to be a defining moment in the LGBTQ+ history as it served as a catalyst for the LGBTQ+ rights movement.

An LGBTQ+ Ally is someone who supports and advocates for the rights, dignity and well-being of individuals belonging to the community. They actively work to create inclusive environments, challenge discrimination and promote equality for people of all sexual orientation and gender identities. 

What can you do as an LGBTQ Ally?

Cultivate an open mind – Being open to learning about different identities and life experiences is the starting point to creating an inclusive culture. An important, but often overlooked aspect of this is accepting when you don’t know or understand something. And it’s completely OK! It is the first crucial step to truly embrace diversity and becoming an Ally.

Commit to educating yourself – Allies should understand that the LGBTQ+ community is not monolithic and includes a wide spectrum of identities and experiences. Proactively seeking out resources (like books, articles and podcasts) created by members of the community help Allies not only challenge their own biases, but also become more effective in their support.

Create safe spaces – Allies help create safe and supportive environments where LGBTQ+ individuals feel accepted, respected and valued. This assumes great importance as the community experiences discrimination, harassment and exclusion in unsafe and unsupportive environments.

Challenge discrimination – Allies play a key role in challenging discrimination and prejudice against LGBTQ+ individuals. By calling out or speaking up against homophobia and transphobia to name a few, Allies play a significant role in dismantling harmful stereotypes against the community. You become an upstander as against being a passive bystander. 

Amplify LGBTQ voices – Allies can help amplify the voices and lived experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals through advocacy and by bringing their voices to the center from the periphery.  This is critical in spaces where their voices may be marginalized or silenced.  Representation and visibility through amplification goes a long way in normalising their presence in all spaces that they would like to be present.   

Build supportive networks – Allies help create a strong supportive network for LGBTQ + individuals through emotional support, validation and solidarity. This can be life-altering for individuals who may lack support, or even acceptance, from family members, friends and peers.

Policy advocacy – Allies advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusive policies and practices within their organisations. By pushing for policies such as non-discrimination policy, voluntary self- identification, gender-neutral restrooms, gender-affirming healthcare, inclusion of same sex partners as nominees in medical insurance, Allies help create more equitable and inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ individuals.

Empathetic culture – By educating themselves and helping the L&D teams curate programs around LGBTQ+ awareness, they help create a sustainable long-term culture of understanding and empathy.  When people are sensitised to LGBTQ+ issues, experiences and identities, it helps break down barriers, misconceptions leading to greater acceptance and appreciation of the community. 

Highlight intersectionality – Allies are able to recognise and address the struggles of LGBTQ+ individuals due to their intersectional identities. The struggles of an LGBTQ+ individual who, for example, is also a Person with Disabilities (PwD) or from a marginalized social-economic group can be very different. By drawing attention to such intersectionalities, Allies ensure that the needs and experiences of all LGBTQ+ individuals are acknowledged and addressed.

Being an ally to the LGBTQ+ community is not only morally right but also essential for creating a more just, inclusive, and compassionate world for all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.  An inclusive environment also brings significant business benefits.  It leads to enhanced creativity and innovation due to diverse perspectives and improved problem solving; it results in deeper employee engagement and hence increased retention; organisations will have access to a wider and richer talent pool which can support the organisation’s diverse customer base; organisations will be seen as inclusive employers leading to elevated Employer Value Proposition; last but not the lease the organisation’s financial performance improve due to better profitability and investor confidence.

As an Ally, by helping create an inclusive environment, you are not only supporting the well-being of your LGBTQ+ colleagues, but also helping enhance your organisation’s performance, reputation, and long-term success.

The author is Roopa Badrinath, Founder and Principal Consultant of Turmeric Consulting.