I think to be a good ally takes several different components.
So, one, right, whatever identity group that you're a member of,
to be aware of that and own your privilege as you walk in the world.
For myself as a white person,
and I live in a world that we have racism,
we have race supremacy,
it's good for me to be aware of when I
walk in the world how I'm experiencing this privilege.
And what are ways that I can own that and be accountable for that.
I think it's the same thing around being trans or cis.
So if you're being an ally just to be aware of like, "Oh,
if I work in a workplace where they have gender binary bathrooms maybe as
a cis person I could ask someone.
There's multiple aspects of being a good ally.
Yes, if you're a cis person and you work somewhere and there's
binary bathrooms and you know that trans people use all bathrooms,
so this is something that everyone can do, you can advocate,
within your organization,
for gender neutral bathrooms that are gender inclusive bathrooms.
That's not a hard thing for you to do, that would be great.
So being an advocate,
speaking out, and being aware of privilege.
I also think another big component of being a good ally
is being responsible to educate yourself.
Don't make it the trans person's responsibility to
educate you about their experience or learn about trans culture,
trans community. Read some books.
There's tons of stuff online. Take this course.
There's so many things that you could do.
And I think that that's a really important part.
And connected to that,
it's not just enough to read about someone or watch a video,
but go to some trans events.
Try to expand your social network.
I think what we've seen around like what changes people's attitudes and values
around different stigmatized groups
is having relationships with people from those groups.
And so If you think that you don't know any trans or gender non-conforming people,
well, number one, you probably do.
And maybe you are just coming to
your awareness as you're becoming more aware of these things.
And number two, try to expand your social network and that will help
you be more aware of what are some of the issues and concerns that are happening.
I would say all of those things are important.