3 ways to be a good LGBTIQA+ ally by Hope Kuchel
3 ways to be a good LGBTIQA+ ally by Hope Kuchel
Koorie Youth Council
Today is IDAHOBIT Day, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia. Although today marks 31 years since the World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from the Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, the LGBTIQA+ community still face a range of discriminations that negatively impact their health and wellbeing. It’s an important day to stand with the queer community and speak up about the discrimination and violence they face.
3 ways to be a good LGBTIQA+ ally
1. Listening is key
As an ally, the most important thing you can do is listen to the Queer community. Be open minded and respectful when people are sharing their experiences, you must be willing to listen to grow your understanding. In saying this, do not expect the Queer community to educate you on these issues. There are many great and diverse resources out there to help you on your independent learning journey.
2. Understand intersectionality
To be an effective ally you need to understand intersectionality. Intersectionality is a framework for understanding how people have intersecting forms of oppression and privileged based on their social and political identity. When you fight for the rights of queer people you are fighting for every part of their identity. Although we may refer to the queer community as a community that doesn’t mean they all share the same experiences, so remember to respect everyone.
3. Queer issues are not a social trend
Commit to promoting and protecting the rights of queer people, not just today but every day of the year. Help shed light on these injustices, stand up and be proud as an ally. Remember that these issues have negative impacts on many individuals so don’t get caught up in trying to appear ‘woke’ for Instagram.
If someone asks you a question or your opinion on a queer issue try recommending a queer book, podcast or social media account that they can access. This allows for everyone to hear the people in the community speak for themselves.
Here are some resources to help you get started:
Hope Kuchel is KYC’s Events and Partnerships Officer. Hope belongs to the Barkindji Nation located in West New South Wales along the Darling River, was raised on Latji Latji Country (Mildura) for 17 years and has called Melbourne home for the past four years.