Don't Stop Your LGBTQ+ Allyship After Pride Month is Over

Why You Should Look Beyond Performative Allyship After Pride Month is Over

The month of June is known as Pride Month. Companies change their logos to a rainbow color scheme. LGBTQ+ flags are proudly displayed at homes. Stores offer a spectrum of pride-related clothing, accessories, and other merchandise. Some towns have pride parades where people gather to show their support.

But once June 30th hits, everything returns back to the way before it was on June 1st. Companies change their logos back to their brand guidelines. LGBTQ+ flags are replaced with American flags or flags of sports teams. Stores return or replace their clothing racks with summer clothing, accessories, and merchandise to promote the next big holiday.

But the LQBTQ+ community doesn’t have that option. They don’t just choose to be part of this community during the month of June. They are part of the community for 12 months and 365 days, every single year.

This is why you should look beyond performative allyship after pride month is over.

What is a Performative Allyship?

Performative allyship is expressing support for a group of people without actually putting in any effort or work. A lot of performative allyship happens during the month of June since it’s known as Pride Month. You’ll see a lot of companies and even people who claim to support or be an ally. But being a true ally involves more than just changing a company logo to the rainbow during the month of June. It’s more than just posting a rainbow flag on social media or using the hashtag #Pridemonth.

How to Be a True Ally

True allyship is actually putting in the effort, work, and time. A true ally isn’t a quick or easy fix to a lifelong problem. Being a true ally involves action. Let’s learn more about some ways to become a true ally and why this matters.

Go Beyond Social Media

Being a true ally requires action beyond just sharing a post that you may agree with on social media. Durning the month of June, your social media feeds were probably filled with hundreds of LGBTQ+ flags with the hashtag #pridemonth. This was an action that millions of social media users all over the globe did to support the LGBTQ+ community. But posting a PRIDE flag only in June, is just an empty promise. There’s no meaning or call to action behind it.

It’s time to go beyond social media and become more than just a performative ally. Instead of just posting a LGBTQ+ flag or sharing posts that you like on social media to try to show your support, do more. You can use your social media pages to amplify LGBTQ+ voices. You can also do the work behind the scenes without posting about it on social media for others to see.

Show Up

Instead of showing up behind a computer screen, show up in person by attending the local rallies or PRIDE events in your area. If you’re not a fan of large crowds or gatherings, you can research causes or organizations that you may be able to donate to. You can also sign petitions to show your support instead of just sharing hashtags.

Call Out Inappropriate Behavior

You should no longer be shocked or appalled by hateful comments or actions. The world has seen enough of it. Instead, you should be sad, hurt, upset, and motivated. It’s time to put an end to it. When you see or hear a family, friend, or coworker speak or behave in a way that is offensive or anti-LGBTQ+, it’s time to speak up. Being a true ally means stepping up and speaking your mind when you hear or see something that is offensive or anti-LGBTQ+. Let others know how you feel and why what they did or said was wrong. Take the time to educate them so they can do and be better.

Next Steps

Being a true ally means showing your support all year long, not just during the month of June. If you want to learn more about how to go beyond being a performative ally, reach out to us today to set up a consultation for individual or LGBTQ+ counseling.