Natalie Meier – On the Importance of Allyship
At my school, we have an LGBTQ* club, a Black Women’s Collective, a Mujeres Unidas club for students who identify as latina/o, and even an Asian Pacific Islander club. There is no question that these organizations are all incredible networks of support for the students who identify with them and proudly call themselves members.
What we have a lack of, are connections between those clubs. Specifically where gender identity and expression are concerned.
A few weeks ago in Mouthing Off, the LGBTQ* club on campus, we discussed what it means to be an ally to a student of color who also identifies as LGBTQ*. Many students expressed confusing feelings about the fact that Mouthing Off was a space for them to discuss their sexuality, while other racially identified clubs were places where they could discuss their racial identities. However, a common denominator among their statements was that they did not feel that there was a place for those identities to coexist.
While this realization alone is unsettling, it sparked a productive conversation that ultimately led to the
What we have a lack of, are connections between those clubs. Specifically where gender identity and expression are concerned.
A few weeks ago in Mouthing Off, the LGBTQ* club on campus, we discussed what it means to be an ally to a student of color who also identifies as LGBTQ*. Many students expressed confusing feelings about the fact that Mouthing Off was a space for them to discuss their sexuality, while other racially identified clubs were places where they could discuss their racial identities. However, a common denominator among their statements was that they did not feel that there was a place for those identities to coexist.
While this realization alone is unsettling, it sparked a productive conversation that ultimately led to the