Opinion on Allies

I don't know. I think that in the near future it will just be assumed that everyone not named Rick Santorum supports the LGBT community and we don't need anything like this, but in a day when LGBT rights are often determined by ballot initiative it's nice to see.

 

I agree that everyone should support the Queer community and maybe that will happen someday, but for now the Allies are a bright light in a dark room (to me anyway).

 

It's not remotely offensive.
It's good to have more people on our side.
Everyone will come around eventually, but why not try to get people to come around now?

 

I have a rule I live by. ignore what a person says and watch what they do they will show you who they are. It never fails to figure out who is friend and who is foe. good luck, June

 

As long as they don't expect goodies or tell us to be grateful, then I'm very fond of them. This isn't quid pro quo; they can't expect us to be deferential or pretend they're "one of us" just because they care about (or superficially acknowledge) our status as humans, something they already have.

 

I don't see how it's offensive. You're right, showing their support really shouldn't be something that's considered special, but from my experience allies never really thought they were "special stars" who deserved recognition for supporting gay marriage. Before I found out I was bi, I never considered myself a part of the LGBTQ community, but I always supported them, as have several of my straight friends.

I think it's important for straight people to openly show their support for LGBTQ folk. Without it, many people who are opposed to LGBTQ people can easily claim that LGBTQ rights and issues don't affect them at all, so they shouldn't be concerned with them. Their support helps make gay marriage more of a human rights issue instead of just a "gay" issue. I personally wish I knew more straight allies in my community. Since moving to the south I haven't met a lot of people who openly support gay rights.

 

May be the term "Allies" is pretty strong. It sounds like we are in a war against something. "Supporter" is more like it. What we want is acceptance and to embrace diversity. End of the day it doesn't matter what they call themselves as long as they propagate the message of acceptance....

 

Would you rather have it where none support us? I've seen where they attach that label to say "You can be open around me." That's not a given. They do take risks, some of the very same risks, showing their support. They have been expelled, fired, harassed, you name it.

Some of them are part of the community, far as i'm concerned. I know some who hang out at gay bars, show up to pride parade, live in a "gaybourhood." They shouldn't be discouraged or taken for granted just because they're not fucking the same sex.

Although i can see where "supporter" might be more fitting, the far-right created a social war, so meh.

 

I don't like people who "come out" as allies. I mean if you're really an ally shouldn't it be obvious? Don't allies normally openly support something? Otherwise they're not really acting like an ally and shouldn't be labeled as such.

 

I'm happy that people are supportive, but I don't want their voices to be prioritised over ours on issues that relate to us.

 

This. If someone from our community has something to say about our issues, it should be heard over and above what any ally says.

It irritates me that because a person calling themselves an 'ally' cares about what happens to people of gender and sexual minorities, they sometimes feel that they are now completely informed and have the right to speak for us--and others who are not part of this community will often listen to them before us. That should never be the case, when we have voices to speak for ourselves and know ourselves better than anyone else ever can.

 

I'm fine and very much enjoy the allies, but let the A in the ridiculous alphabet-soup of the LGBTQQIA+++++ umbrella -- without confusion -- always stand for Asexual. I think it's important that there be some separation between the LGBT+ and the allies for the mere preservation of our identity as a group.

 

I agree. As long as allies don't want cookies or have their voices heard over ours, I'm okay. Sometimes there are places that are spaces where allies don't really need to be.

 

I prefer the term "decent human being"...

 

Better allies than enemies. All my friends theoretically support queer rights. Its a necessary condition of being my friend. My best friend is an ally, she actively supports, goes to pride, and is involved and knowledgable. If someone says something homo/transphobic, she speaks out. There is a difference, and I'm glad such people exist. Eventually, we'll move away from it, because there won't be any need for a category for decent person, but right now, we can't assume everyone supports us.