LGBTIQ Youth: Advocacy
Q: How can I be a good ally to LGBTIQ youth?
A: First off, you don't have to be LGBTIQ to care about
LGBTIQ issues, and that will be one of the main things you
need to let other people know. Straight allies are extremely
important for their support, understanding, and help in
promoting LGBTIQ issues. Here are 10 tips for how to be a
great, straight ally:
- Organize discussion groups at organizations/groups you
belong to (a community of faith, education associations,
social justice activist groups, etc.) to talk about the "Ten
Ways Homophobia and Transphobia Affect Straight People."
- Always use neutral labels like "partner" or "significant
other" instead of "boyfriend," "girlfriend," etc.
- Bring up current LGBTIQ issues in conversations with
friends, at work, and in your community.
- Interrupt anti-LGBTIQ jokes, comments, or any other
behaviors that make homophobia and transphobia appear OK.
- Put LGBTIQ-positive posters at your work, community of
faith, etc., and/or wear shirts, buttons, etc. that promote
LGBTIQ equity and straight ally visibility.
- Don't make assumptions about peoples' sexual
orientations or gender identities. Assume there are LGBTIQ
people in all classes, sports, meetings, at work, daily
life, etc.
- Don't assume that "feminine-acting men" and
"masculine-acting women" are transgender or not
heterosexual.
- Don't assume that "macho males" or "feminine females"
are heterosexual or not transgender.
- Use your privilege as a straight ally to speak up for
LGBTIQ issues and rights whenever/wherever you can. Write
letters to the editor, participate in marches, lend support
to LGBTIQ groups at work, a community of faith, etc.
- As an ally to transgender folks, speak up when you hear
slurs and attacks on people who express their gender outside
of societal expectations. Educate people around you on the
continuum of gender expression.
Top of Page
We'd like to thank Advocates for Youth for allowing us to
use portions of this Q and A text, which were taken from an article
written by Advocates for Youth in the
summer of 2004.
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Youth Q&A |
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Living
Questions about religion, identity, companionship, and
harassment.
HIV/STI
Sexually transmitted infection (STI), including HIV
information.
Isolation
Meeting other community members and dealing with
isolation.
Communication
When to speak with parents and family; how to deal
with conflict, loneliness. |
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