June 10, 2024 - #mondaymoment #allyship
Happy Monday, my friends! Pride Month is in full swing and if you made it out to the Columbus Natural Wine Festival yesterday, thank you! Though not an explicitly “Queer” event, the festival donates some of their proceeds to LOVEboldly and the sponsoring business, The Bottle Shop, has supported us on other fundraisers as well. They have been very real and upfront allies to LOVEboldly and to the Queer community.
There are many ways to be an ally to the LGBTQIA+ community and Pride Month gives allies many public opportunities to show up and put their allyship into action at parades, festivals, and other events. Speaking of other events, remember to join us for the Interfaith Pride Prayer Service on Tuesday.
One point we often forget is how we can show up as allies for each other even within our own communities. Last year at Columbus Pride, someone handed me a pin in the colors of the Trans Pride flag with the word “ally” on it. I was horrified and just about had a Mommie Dearest-style meltdown that someone would call me an “ally” and not a member of the community. Yet, the person reminded me that as a cisgender person who supports the Trans community, I’m definitely an ally to the Trans community. Regardless of how we identify we can all be allies to other people and other communities.
Our allyship has to be intersectional. Much like the dynamic in my story from Columbus Pride, we can simultaneously be a member of a marginalized community and an ally to another marginalized community just as we may be members of dominant communities and allies to marginalized communities.
Regardless of your identities, how are you showing up for the LGBTQIA+ community this Pride Month? What other communities are you an ally to?
Let us pray: God who created the infinite diversity of life, help us show up for each other whether as friends, allies, or supporters. Give us the wisdom to discern where we need to do our own work and where we could better stand up for communities and people. Let us never fall into the trap of thinking that the work of equity and liberation is done until all people are free. We ask this in the name of your son, our liberator, Amen.
Blessing on your weeks, my friends! Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you.
Faithfully,
Ben
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