Being actively supportive of a marginalized group while not necessarily personally identifying with the group. Your identity as an ally is not something you can claim for yourself. Instead, your actions can result in you being seen as an ally by the people you support. Allyship training is increasingly available to facilitators and community conveners.
Note: An individual can be a member of a marginalized group while also an ally to a different marginalized group. Membership in the former does not necessarily confer allyship to the latter since learning about our own biases and the group’s needs is a continual process.
Example: https://frameshiftconsulting.com/
Additional Reading:
- The state of allyship report: The key to workplace inclusion
- How to be an ally: Actions you can take for a stronger, happier workplace
Citation: Center for Scientific Collaboration and Community Engagement. (2021) CSCCE Glossary: Inclusive Language in Community Building. Woodley, Pratt, Bakker, Bertipaglia, Dow, El Zein, Kuwana, Lower, Roca, and Santistevan doi: 10.5281/zenodo.5718783