Bad news, allies - you actually do have to change the world

That sounds like an unreasonable expectation to put on someone, doesn’t it?

The thing is, though, the whole point of an ally is to change the world.

Allyship is the practice of taking intentional and positive action to advance the liberation of groups you do not personally belong to.

It’s not enough to call ourself an ally and then stand by while those communities are attacked, legislated against, or slandered. An ally without the purpose of changing the world is of no use to any community that still experiences marginalisation, oppression, or prejudice - things have to change, and that’s where allies come in.

Good news is, we don’t have to do it alone. There are millions of people working toward a more inclusive world, so we’ve got back-up.

What does ‘changing the world’ actually look like?

We need to reimagine what we consider the world to be. We think of it as this vast expanse far beyond our control, but fail to see that we each have the power to change single, individual worlds, every day.

We all experience this planet differently, and someone else’s world might be completely different to mine. Their version of our world might seem insignificant compared to the global whole, but for that person it is everything - all experience, emotion, thought, identity, and material reality. It’s the lens through which we each interpret our lives.

We have the power to influence any person’s individual world through the actions we take (both positively and negatively) and we can influence multiple worlds through building genuine community, understanding, and empathy.

If we’re doing it right, every time we practice active allyship we are changing the world in some way, even if only for a single person.

So what practical steps can we take to change worlds?

As a non-exhaustive list, here are some of the things you can do. Not everyone will be able to do all of these (and that’s okay!), but I do encourage you to come up with your own commitments and ways you can practice allyship toward those around you.

• Turn up for the causes you believe in. Take the time to show your support in active ways. If you are able, volunteering as a steward can be a huge help to organisers of peaceful demonstrations, parades, and marches. Volunteering for a local community group to run their social media (for example) can have a huge impact. Turning up to a small community event that might struggle with numbers (provided allies are welcome) can make your support known, and your actions within that group can make it felt, too. If you have a few spare quid, donating the price of a pint every so often to a mutual aid fundraiser can be the difference between someone getting the help they need and missing their target. Sharing (well-evidenced and fact-checked) information online can raise awareness and inspire others to take active steps, too. Turn up in whatever ways you are able, but do turn up.

• Educate yourself on other people’s experiences and realities. A non-disabled person will have a completely different perspective on the world’s accessibility to a disabled person, because their own world doesn’t feature inaccessibility as standard. This means that huge issues are often unseen or unrecognised by the majority, and therefore not tackled by them. When we listen openly we can learn how others experience the world, and learn the issues they might need allies to combat alongside them.

• Get political. Politics is happening, whether we engage with it or not. Learn your MP’s email address and get typing about the things you care about. If you struggle with words, use a template letter (but make sure to change some words and the subject line so it doesn’t get filtered out). Follow-up, call, or pop along to office hours if your email is ignored. Ask for a meeting and then present well-researched arguments, questions, and recommendations. If you’re a busy bee, signing official petitions takes 30 seconds, maximum. Marginalised communities are tired - shoulder some of the weight with them.

• Challenge harassment, discrimination, microaggressions, and prejudice, everywhere. Yes, even at dinner with your nan, and whether the target of the prejudice is present or not, challenge it. This creates a higher social standard of expected behaviour, and normalises standing up for inclusion. Learn techniques to intervene in a way that is safe and doesn’t escalate the situation*.

• Get involved with DEIA at work. We spend a huge proportion of our time at work, and our experiences and identities don’t stop at the door. Get involved, whether it’s through supporting a Staff Network/Employee Resource Group, or through writing to your Chief Exec about DEIA strategy and implementation. Notice and point out what’s being missed - do you have robust policies to support marginalised employees? Is your organisation supporting all who need it, or just the ones they’re legally obligated to support? Encourage your organisation to allocate sufficient DEIA budget, including to Networks/ERGs, and recommend them good DEIA practitioners to help make change.

• Recognise our responsibility to our communities and to each other. Our communities (whatever they may look like) shape our understandings, experiences, and behaviours. As social creatures, humans rely upon community to fulfil our emotional and physical needs, and to protect us. However, a community is only as strong as the bonds within it. Offer to dog-sit for a neighbour or invite them round for a cup of tea. Building connections is the first step to understanding how we can help. They might be struggling with their heating bills, feeling isolated, or experiencing grief. We won’t know until we reach out.

What’s the summary?

It sounds like an insurmountable task, but changing the world begins with us. Your actions may feel like droplets in the ocean, but droplets together can wear down stone, corrode metal and, importantly, enable entire ecosystems to thrive. We are both the droplets and the ocean when we work on a shared goal - our own individual worlds merging and overlapping. Let’s do it together.

*If you’d like any more information on safe interventions against harassment or Active Bystander Intervention Workshops, please get in touch using my Contact Form, or book a free discovery call by clicking the little button below.