Practice Active Allyship
Allyship literally saves lives. Research shows that having at least one accepting adult can reduce the risk of a suicide attempt among LGBTQ young people by 40 percent. Access to spaces that affirmed their sexual orientation and gender identity has also been highlighted as a key protective factor that can significantly lower the risks of attempting suicide.
So how can you as an ally create safe and affirming spaces for the trans folks in your community?
Adding rainbow filters to profile photos on social media, putting a flag sticker on your car, and showing up Pride Parades are common occurrences. While these are genuine expressions of solidarity, without more active allyship work to accompany them, they can have negative consequences and little real impact on creating social change or improving the world for those you are aiming to support.
So how can you as an ally create safe and affirming spaces for the trans folks in your community?
Adding rainbow filters to profile photos on social media, putting a flag sticker on your car, and showing up Pride Parades are common occurrences. While these are genuine expressions of solidarity, without more active allyship work to accompany them, they can have negative consequences and little real impact on creating social change or improving the world for those you are aiming to support.
6 Ways to be an Amazing Active Ally
Successful change requires more than just intention - it requires action. And this action is about how we show up in our daily lives and in the interactions we have with others.