Gender & Sexuality dictionary
ally
[ al-ahy ]
What does ally mean?
An ally is someone that aligns with and supports a cause with another individual or group of people. A straight ally, more specifically, is an individual outside of the LGBTQ community that supports their fight for equality and rights.
Where does ally come from?
In the LGBTQ community, ally is found by the 1990s, an extension of the word ally as “supporter.” The concept of an ally, however, is much older. PFLAG, or Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays was founded in 1973 and has been a major organization for allies ever since.
There have been prominent several campaigns to promote allyship, like 2015’s #illgowithyou, in which allies accompany transgender people in bathrooms so they feel safe.
The equal sign logo for the Human Rights Campaign has been associated with allyship as well.
Human Rights Campaign
From the LGBTQ community, the term ally has spread to refer to people who are aligned in support of other disenfranchised and minority communities, such as people of color.
Examples of ally
Who uses ally?
If someone supports LGBTQ rights, they are considered an ally in that community. Many other minority communities adopt the ally moniker with pride.
Oh my favorite is, “You are the reason it’s so hard to be an ally.”
No sister, your commitment to white supremacy is the reason it’s so hard to be an ally.
— Tori Williams Douglass (@ToriGlass) October 6, 2018
The human resources department of large corporate companies sometimes define ally in their official company literature, and many LGBTQ support groups welcome allies to their spaces and meetings.
While many in the LGBTQ community value “good” allies, there are many articles that outline how to be a better ally. They cite not taking up space in discussion over someone who is LGBTQ, trying to understand the history and nuance of the movement, and actively fight injustice and discrimination as it happens.
white people: there is a thin line between being an ally and taking someone elses voice. learn where it is & how to not cross it
— keri (@keri_wtf) November 5, 2018
If you are white, scream against systemic racism. If you are straight ally for lgbtq rights. If you are an American citizen, stand up for undocumented people. Stand up for the indigenous, the poor, the Black, the trans, the you, the me, the us.
— Nico Tortorella (@NicoTortorella) October 22, 2018
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of ally like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of ally that will help our users expand their word mastery.