Being An Ally
Being an ally means working to help members of the lesbian, g
ay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and queer (LGBTQ) community in both passive and active ways. Support from heterosexual and homosexual friends and relatives can make a major impact on an individual before, during, and after their coming out process.
There are a variety of contexts in which someone might decide to come out to you. They may have chosen to come out to you because you are a:
- close friend or family member and they want to have an honest and genuine relationship with me.
- person who will be understanding and accepting; and therefore trust you with this very personal information.
- member of the LGBTQ community and they believe you can help them in answering questions they may have or supply them with information on resources.
- person who they’ve decided to come out to before they really know you in order to establish an honest relationship from the beginning.
- person in a position to assist them with a concern, determine their access to certain resources, or address policies which impact their life.
For tips on being an ally, download the “Being an Ally” brochure.