Allyship case study 1

Being an ally has been integrated into my everyday life. I’m not always perfect, no one is, but it’s about learning to be better – everyone should be open to learning. 

I’ve come across lots of men with toxic attitudes in my life, and I’ve never related to that. I put a lot of that down to my upbringing. I grew up around my Mum and Grandma, who were strong women. I’ve never had it in my mind to think of women any differently. 

I think the best way to become a good ally is to listen to the women in your life and learn from their experiences.  

I’ve witnessed workplace incidents in the past which I didn’t speak up about, and I really regretted my decision; it weighed heavily on my mind for a long time afterwards. I told myself I’d make sure to say something if anything similar happened again. 

I have seen how my speaking up does make change. If you say something about an inappropriate situation, you will be taken seriously, and it won’t just be swept under the carpet. 

Speaking up can be daunting because you might be concerned that there will be negative consequences. It can be done with a light touch; you don’t have to come on heavy. You can start with a gentle discussion. It doesn’t have to be that you’re policing what people are saying. If something has made you feel a certain way and someone else is being made to feel uncomfortable or disempowered, you have every right to push back. 

If you keep quiet and let things pass by, you’re condoning the action in a way. It’s all about learning to be better. Everyone should be open to learning. You might not see what you’re doing as bad, but everything can be open to review.