LGBTQ+ people have always existed; they just have become more visible in recent years. While parts of the community might be a little hard to understand, if you’re here, you’re already making a good effort to make people feel welcome and be a good ally towards LGBTQ+ folks. Let’s take a look at some of the ways in which you can be a good LGBTQ+ ally in your community and even in online spaces so that you can make everyone feel welcome and validated as much as you can.
Be Familiar with Pronouns
Pronouns are part of our everyday life. They’re everywhere – even in this text. Even if someone’s physical expression doesn’t match their identity, it never hurts to change a simple word in your language to make them feel validated. Transgender people exist; even those who haven’t fully transitioned and are making an effort to live their truth are valid. Therefore, if you’re not sure about someone’s identity, you can always ask them about their preferred pronouns before you engage in any interaction with them. Not only will it make you seem friendlier, but you might also make their whole day with a very simple question.
Take Part in LGBTQ+ Events
If you are a heterosexual person, you likely don’t know if LGBTQ+ events or even places are a thing. However, if you want to learn more about LGBTQ+ culture and maybe have some fun along the way, you can always attend an LGBTQ+ event. You can go to a gay bar – or even better, sign up for a Pride bar crawl so that you can make the most of the night and maybe even meet queer people if you don’t know any. It can be an excellent first-time experience or even something you do now and then once you meet the right crowd.
Volunteer or Donate
There are tons of LGBTQ+ organizations and nonprofits looking for volunteers right now. You can help those in need by volunteering in a local community or youth center. LGBTQ+ homelessness is an extremely serious problem across the globe, with the numbers rising each year. Tons of projects have been created in order to help these teenagers have a means to live their lives and have a chance at making their dreams come true. In case you can’t volunteer, you can always donate. Your efforts will be very much appreciated within the community.
Be Open Minded
Last but not least, it is important to keep an open mind if you want to be an ally for the LGBTQ+ community. Sexuality and gender are a whole spectrum, as they work differently for all individuals. Even if you don’t understand how certain individuals view the world, you can always respect it and not diminish or invalidate their experiences just because they don’t match your views or have similar experiences to yours. Try to listen to or read queer stories and ask all the necessary questions – all of it with respect.
Learning about LGBTQ+ diversity takes a while, and it’s a job that’s never fully done as the world is constantly changing, and people find other ways to define their identities. Even though queer people are a good source of information, remember that they might also need to be educated – you can look for more information on the web if you’re not sure about something.
Conclusion
As a straight person, you hold a lot of privilege. It’s very unlikely that you will be violented by holding hands with your partner in a public space or perhaps being kicked out of your home after coming out. These are common experiences for LBGTQ+ folks, no matter where you are from. Therefore, educating yourself and trying to be kind to the people you know can be a great first step towards alliance. Diversity is a wonderful thing and allows more room for individuality. If everyone lived the exact same experiences, they would be very boring. Although humans have tons of similarities, these small discrepancies make us who we are and allow us to view and experience life in different ways.
