Being an Ally: World Book Day 2023

Product Information

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Allies: Real Talk About Showing Up, Screwing Up, and Trying Again in exchange for an honest review. Listen and learn how someone pronounces their name, describes their identity and uses their pronouns. Then mirror the language they use to describe themselves — it shows them you’re paying attention and that you care about them. In conclusion, I think that this book is going to be an important step forward in promoting allyship and understanding of experiences different from our own.

David G. Smith is an associate professor in the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. He is the coauthor, with W. Brad Johnson, of Good Guys: How Men Can Be Better Allies for Women in the Workplace and Athena Rising: How and Why Men Should Mentor Women. In May 2015, Andrew Grill was a Global Managing Partner at IBM and a speaker at the Online Influence Conference. He was on a panel along with five other men when a female member of the audience posed the obvious question to the all-male lineup: “Where are the women?”Speaking up can be scary, but it‘s very important. There are laws in place that protect people against discrimination due to their minority characteristics - described as ‘protected‘ and many workplaces also seek to protect others, even if they aren‘t protected by law. So, getting educated, asking those difficult questions when you don't know the answer and going outside of your comfort zone are equally as important. A great ally is one who is informed and is continually updating their knowledge.

It’s easy to imagine that when you come across discrimination or hateful language you will whir into action, righting wrongs and effortlessly challenging the behaviour and views of people speaking and acting in a hurtful manner. The reality can be very different and truthfully, sometimes standing up against discrimination can be an intimidating experience. The important thing is to let your voice be heard and although it’s not always easy, these are situations where being an ally really counts. It’s important to let those with bigoted views know that they are not in a world where they can marginalise or bully those that need our support - and this is really the essence of what being an ally is all about. Further informationI'll be posting my review for this book in September as a part of GeekDis a collaborative event I am hosting in September for the disabled community to discuss disability representation in pop culture. just the start of a journey, to dive deeper into these issues and see how you can help and support. Since the book consists of 17 authors, there was no way I was going to love all the different writing styles. I would say that I really enjoyed the writing in about 83 percent of the book. But there were some entries where the writing was a little boring and didn't keep me as engaged as I wanted to be. But with how many stories there were, I appreciate that the writing was solid in most essays. Being comfortable talking about race is also a key element of a good ally. As the BITC guide highlights, only 38% of employees said they were comfortable talking about race in the workplace. These glossaries can help make conversations easier and help all of us acquire the language to be as respectful and accurate as possible with our language.

Being an ally is not an easy thing for everyone to do and it is not something that you can just stand there and say “I’m an ally for race equality”. It’s about taking serious action and putting some real energy into those actions. When an ally takes on the role of the Sponsor, they vocally support the work of colleagues from underrepresented groups in all contexts, but specifically in situations that will help boost those colleagues’ standing and reputations. Another essay stood out to me, Dismantling Judgment by Lizzie Huxley-Jones told her invisible illness and many of the same experiences that I have had and felt like I had found a friend.Many would-be allies fear making mistakes that could have them labeled as “-ist” or “-ic” (racist, sexist, transphobic, homophobic, etc). But as an ally, you’re also affected by a system of oppression. This means that as an ally, there is much to unlearn and learn—mistakes are expected. You need to own this as fact and should be willing to embrace the daily work of doing better. To be truly anti-racist, confront the parts of yourself that you hide.’ Photograph: Suki Dhanda/The Observer From raw stories of racism and invisible disability to powerful moments of passing the mic, these authors share their truths. They invite you to think about your own experiences and choices and how to be a better ally. Being an ally is about recognising your privilege, and using it to raise up the voices of marginalised and minority communities.

One of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves is learning how to create closure within rather than expecting other people to give it to us. Anyone has the potential to be an ally. Allies recognize that though they’re not a member of the underinvested and oppressed communities they support, they make a concerted effort to better understand the struggle, every single day.A more complete acronym is LGBTQQIAAP: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transexual, queer, questioning, intersex, ally, asexual, and pansexual: Once you know the history you can help to shape the future. Do some research into the specific battles that are being fought now, and find out the obstacles that the LGBT community is facing. Discover specific campaigns that resonate with you so you can get active and focus your support to help really make a difference. 4. Get involved in the community and show your support