Being an Ally: World Book Day 2023

Product Information

the second essay touches on the author discovering pansexuality and i just. i’m emo. i’ve seen this story so many times, but seeing it in a book is so!!! One of this engineer’s colleagues decided to take action to ensure that the voices of those who weren’t shouting would be heard. She introduced communication guidelines for a weekly meeting, and saw an immediate improvement. The guidelines included assigning a meeting mediator (team members would take turns in this role), setting clear objectives and an agenda for every meeting, conducting a meeting evaluation by every participant at the end of every meeting, and reminding the members to be respectful and practice active listening. We need people to do this even if they cannot fully understand what it’s like to be oppressed for their race or ethnicity, gender, sexuality, ability, class, religion, or other marker of identity. Clearly there many options to collectively refer to this large and diverse community – and of course, differences of opinion. In the end, it’s not about using the perfect acronym, but it is about trying to respect all people with our language. LGBTQIA Vocabulary Lists

The apology receiver may choose to never interact with you again. Either after you give an apology or before you give it. You have to find a way to make peace with that. Do not pressure or shame someone into accepting your apology. For me, being an ally is one the best parts of my job, not because I’m the head of diversity and inclusion, but because I believe that everyone should be able to bring their whole selves to work. Consult our directory of authors and storytellers to help plan a school visit (virtual or in-person) in the coming year. It’s Pronounced Metrosexual’s Comprehensive List of LGBTQ+ Vocabulary Definitions (the most comprehensive list!) Finally, something that is also really cool about this book is the inclusion of author suggested resources on the various topics discussed, practical suggestions such as phrasing examples for having difficult conversations and numerous reflection prompts! These could serve as discussion questions within a small group or in a classroom, essay topic ideas, or simply as things the reader can reflect upon in whatever way works best for them.

Comments (0)

There’s an impulsive desire to fix, to be the hero of the story, to swoop in and rescue and, for some, it also comes from a place of superiority and/or a desire to be forgiven. It feeds into something called the “White Saviour Industrial Complex” – a term first coined by Harvard professor and novelist Teju Cole in 2012. “White Saviour Industrial Complex is not about justice, it’s about having a big emotional experience that validates privilege… There is much more to doing good work than ‘making a difference’. There is the principle of first do no harm. There is the idea that those who are being helped ought to be consulted over the matters that concern them,” explains Cole. Listen and ask questions when someone describes an experience you haven’t had. Don’t jump in with your own personal stories.

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. Allies is an incredible collection of essays focusing on allyship, written by YA authors. The stories these authors share are personal and varied, just like their experiences: some essays are about the allyship they extended towards other people, some were about how they received help and support from other people and what it meant for them. Some, and I personally think those were the most important, were about failing as an ally. There is a big emphasis on the fact that everyone will make mistakes even if they mean well and I believe it’s a crucial fact that needs to be talked about, because the fear of failing often stops people from doing the right thing. The essays show the ways some authors failed, but then improved, how they managed to learn and move on from missteps.

2. The Champion

Kayla Reed’s ( @iKaylaReed) tweet sharing her definition of what it means to be an ally. It’s another great definition that’ll help you follow along with this section! The Unsafe Space" by Adiba Jaigirdar- An author that has a 2022 release I really want to read. I loved her essay and the commentary she included.