Comments on: what it really means to be an ally http://www.familypride.org/blog/2007/05/what-it-really-means-to-be-an-ally.html love. justice. family. equality. Sat, 22 Nov 2008 02:14:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3 By: Family Pride’s Blog » the truth about “straight privledge” http://www.familypride.org/blog/2007/05/what-it-really-means-to-be-an-ally.html#comment-1700 Family Pride’s Blog » the truth about “straight privledge” Thu, 14 Jun 2007 13:19:55 +0000 http://www.familypride.org/blog/2007/05/what-it-really-means-to-be-an-ally.html#comment-1700 [...] few weeks ago, Dustin wrote about what it really means to be an ally. In that entry, he hit on a really important point: friends are not synonymous with allies. A [...] […] few weeks ago, Dustin wrote about what it really means to be an ally. In that entry, he hit on a really important point: friends are not synonymous with allies. A […]

]]> By: michelle h. http://www.familypride.org/blog/2007/05/what-it-really-means-to-be-an-ally.html#comment-1276 michelle h. Wed, 09 May 2007 15:34:09 +0000 http://www.familypride.org/blog/2007/05/what-it-really-means-to-be-an-ally.html#comment-1276 As a straight white female, I think we ALL as people need to be more willing to open our mouth in the face of all prejudice of all kinds. And we need to be willing to be present to stand up for that. With #3, I find if someone is emailing something like that and I'm unsure if I want to confront them, I just keep asking them 'why' or 'give me specifics'? Eventually they'll run into a brick wall and I know I have the facts then to show them that the gay community does make good parents. A scenario we faced as straight parents is that our daughter was invited to a vacation bible study by a good friend of hers from school. We are Christian but this group was very condemning of gays from their national office and regional activists. I know it wouldn't have been discussed at vacation bible study with seven year old children but I didn't want to be supporting them with our presence even. Because really, isn't her attendance an endorsement of their policies, all of them? Just because it doesn't apply to us doesn't mean it doesn't affect or offend us. Another secondary option for allies - BLOG it. Get it out there. As I posted on another thread, most straight people who have adopted from foster care that we know don't have a problem with gay parents adopting. People who have read the horrors of the children's files just want healthy homes for them. We as straight adoptive/foster parents can do more to support our gay counterparts with blogs to help change minds. I haven't been shy about it (or here). I have gay families on my blogroll, I've posted about this. I have this blog linked on my site. I've shared our stories with gay and trans people. We explained early to our child about gay friends. (I'm sure you all are getting bored of the straight woman posting but I do find this all very interesting! I didn't see any comments here and I hoped I could get it rolling at least.) As a straight white female, I think we ALL as people need to be more willing to open our mouth in the face of all prejudice of all kinds. And we need to be willing to be present to stand up for that.

With #3, I find if someone is emailing something like that and I’m unsure if I want to confront them, I just keep asking them ‘why’ or ‘give me specifics’? Eventually they’ll run into a brick wall and I know I have the facts then to show them that the gay community does make good parents.

A scenario we faced as straight parents is that our daughter was invited to a vacation bible study by a good friend of hers from school. We are Christian but this group was very condemning of gays from their national office and regional activists. I know it wouldn’t have been discussed at vacation bible study with seven year old children but I didn’t want to be supporting them with our presence even. Because really, isn’t her attendance an endorsement of their policies, all of them? Just because it doesn’t apply to us doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect or offend us.

Another secondary option for allies - BLOG it. Get it out there. As I posted on another thread, most straight people who have adopted from foster care that we know don’t have a problem with gay parents adopting. People who have read the horrors of the children’s files just want healthy homes for them. We as straight adoptive/foster parents can do more to support our gay counterparts with blogs to help change minds.

I haven’t been shy about it (or here). I have gay families on my blogroll, I’ve posted about this. I have this blog linked on my site. I’ve shared our stories with gay and trans people. We explained early to our child about gay friends.

(I’m sure you all are getting bored of the straight woman posting but I do find this all very interesting! I didn’t see any comments here and I hoped I could get it rolling at least.)

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