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GLBT @ NCSU
“In a positive climate, everyone wins, especially the group that we
are trying to serve, students.”
-NC State faculty member
Ally Development
One way to learn more about ally development is to attend one of our Project SAFE training sessions. Learn more about Project SAFE and register for an upcoming training session here.
What is an Ally anyway?
Someone who:- has worked to develop an understanding of homosexuality, bisexuality, transgender issues and the needs of the GLBT community.
- chooses to align with GLBT people and responds to their needs.
- believes that it is in their self interest to be an ally.
- is committed to personal growth and the exploration required.
- is quick to take pride and appreciate success.
- expects support from other allies.
- is able to acknowledge and articulate how patterns of oppression have operated in their lives.
- expects to make some mistakes, but does not use it as an excuse for non-action.
- knows that they can initiate change toward personal, institutional, and societal justice and equality.
- promotes a sense of community with the GLBT community and teaches others the importance of outreach.
- has a good sense of humor.
Four Levels in Ally Development
Awareness: It is important to become more aware of who you are and how you are different from and similar to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.
Strategies to do this include:
- conversations with GLBT individuals,
- attending awareness-building workshops, and
- by self-examination.
Knowledge/Education: You must begin to acquire knowledge about sexual orientation and gender identity and what the experience is for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons in society and in your campus community.
You can do this by:
- learning about laws, policies, and practices and how they affect GLBT persons.
- educating yourself about the GLBT cultures and norms of this community.
- contacting local and national GLBT organizations for information.
Skills: You must develop skills in communicating the knowledge that you have learned.
Ways to accomplish this:
- attending workshops,
- role playing situations with friends,
- developing support connections, and
- practicing interventions or awareness raising.
Action: Action is, without a doubt, the only way that we can affect change in society as a whole; for, if we keep our awareness, knowledge, and skills to ourselves, we deprive the rest of the world of what we have learned, thus keeping them from having the fullest possible life.
Information condensed and adapted from Evans, N.J. & Wall, V.A. (1991). Beyond Tolerance: Gays, Lesbians, and Bisexuals on Campus. USA: ACPA