I know that there are a few allies on EC, and I am curious about what made people become allies. What made you care about LGBT rights? It seems to me that it would be so easy for a straight person to be apathetic about LGBT rights, because none of it really affects you, so what motivated you to become an ally?
I didn't know I was gay for quite some time. When I was 12 I had literally no idea, but it just seemed like something I thought seemed pretty alright. So I did some volunteering stuff as an ally before my parents found out and wouldn't let me anymore.
Emphasis added. LGBT rights affect just about everyone. Almost everyone has a gay son, a lesbian sister, a bi nephew, a trans aunt. Even those without family members who're LGBT will have friends who are.
And furthermore, straight people can still face discrimination for being perceived as gay. One of my very dear straight friends is perceived as gay by a lot of people, but he's quite straight. He's fortunate enough not to face discrimination or violence because of this perception, but it's not difficult to imagine straight folks who do.
Good point. Still they aren't directly affected, and even though almost everyone has gay family members or friends, not everyone becomes an ally.
Every weaker, effeminate straight boy who was mercilessly bullied in school is a victim of gay oppression. Bullies think he's gay and take that as a perfectly good opportunity to stamp it out. Whoever is loosely or remotely associated with being gay is destroyed. Homophobia affects everyone.
I exactly recall how I became an ally. I was 11, I was in the car with my dad and asked him what it was to be homosexual. I don't recall why, maybe I had heard the word at school, I don't remember. However, I remember my dad's answer. He told me that this word was describing men who were falling in love with other men, or women who were falling in love with other women, and that it wasn't normal. And I recall that I was very shocked that he said this, because I couldn't see what was wrong with falling in love, even with someone from the same sex. I didn't say anything right away, because I was 11 and it was my dad, but just a few years later, when I started high school I started to get into arguments at school when people around were being homophobic and I never stopped ever since. In my journey, a few of my old friends turned out to be Lgbt and came out to me. I also crossed the path of EC, more than 3 years ago now and it only reinforced my feelings toward the LGBT community. Basically, I am an ally because I deeply believe nobody should ever be rejected because of who they are or who they love, and I don't see how any decent human being could ever think otherwise.
I'm as white as a person can possibly get, but I still think racism and segregation are unspeakable... Just because you belong to the privileged majority, that doesn't mean you are blind to injustice. That's enough motivation for a lot of people.
One of my older cousins is gay, and when he told his parents his dad was confused and felt guilty/responsible for a while. Then eventually he realised it wasn't something he did, and now he goes to pride parades and participates in more LGBT events than other members of the family, as if maybe trying to make up for misunderstanding it all previously. This could be another reason why some people get involved as allies?
Thanks for the responses. I think I have a better idea of why some people may become allies. That isn't something I had really considered. I've always thought of homophobia as something that only affected LGBT people. Obviously I was wrong. I apologise for my ignorance. Very true.