![\"WeWork](\"https:\/\/www.wework.com\/ideas\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/12\/WeWork_Pride_Ally_2.jpg?resize=1024%2C683\")
Not sure how to identify someone? Emily Meyers, associate general counsel at WeWork, says pay attention to the language people use to describe themselves.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first thing that came to my mind is to be a great ally, be sensitive to language\u2014whether that’s pronouns, or how we refer to our significant other,\u201d says Meyers. \u201cListen and follow our lead, or else ask what we’d prefer. It drives me nuts when I refer to \u2018my wife\u2019 and in the next sentence, the person I’m speaking to refers to my \u2018partner.\u2019<\/p>\n
Kyle Raiche, onboarding senior manager, agrees, adding that when in doubt, don\u2019t be afraid to ask.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe best piece of advice I ever got was: If you are curious about whether or not someone is LGBTQ, the best way to ask is: \u2018How do you prefer to identify?\u2019 says Raiche. \u201cHaving that exact language at the ready prepares you for the question and keeps you from unintentionally misspeaking later down the line.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chloe Rubenstein, a community lead at WeWork Boston, says sexual orientation is important, but you should also pay attention to gender.<\/p>\n
\u201cPart of being a great ally is to always be aware that not everyone has a gendered pronoun,\u201d says Rubenstein. \u201cIf you don’t know someone’s preferred pronoun, it\u2019s best that you refer to them as they and them. No one will ever be offended if you ask them what their pronouns are. It’s okay to make a mistake because that\u2019s how you learn. The most important part is that you are learning, and we all appreciate that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashley England, a learning experience designer at WeWork, says allies can help push the conversation about gender forward in many ways.<\/p>\n
\u201cI added my pronouns to my email signature,\u201d says England. \u201cIt’s a simple way for people to show you\u2019re an ally. I’ve received good feedback and had positive conversations about it with colleagues wanting to know more. I call it a \u2018micro-progression.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Educate yourself<\/h2>\n
But allies have to do some of the groundwork themselves. WeWork staffers say that one of the best things that supporter can do is show up with an understanding of what the LGBTQ community is all about.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo be a great ally, you need to educate yourself,\u201d says software engineer Chelsea Kochan. \u201cLearning about the issues and experiences of the LBGTQ community can help you to be a more supportive ally. For me, it has shown me the subtle and not subtle inequality that people face everyday. When I notice insensitivity, I speak up and try to educate others.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rocky Kerns, who runs orientation for WeWork\u2019s new hires, says that instead of just expressing their support, allies should know what\u2019s going on in the LGBTQ community.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, I feel that if you truly want to support someone, it\u2019s best to understand what they go through as best you can,\u201d says Kerns. \u201cA great way to do that is to actively explore and learn about what\u2019s going on in their larger community as much as possible. What are the battles that their larger community is facing in the world today? What are the victories that they\u2019re celebrating?\u201d<\/p>\n
Kerns says being able to talk about the issues inevitably leads to deeper connections.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you know about these things when you participate in events those communities may have, you can fully engage with them,\u201d Kerns says. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing more powerful than education in any context.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hannah Schon, community lead at WeWork in Austin, says that knowing about the issues is one thing. She says you should show your support in concrete ways, like in the voting booth.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe being an ally is through voting,\u201d says Schon. \u201cDuring this crazy 24-hour news cycle, it\u2019s now more important than ever to know who your representatives are that can fight the fight for our friends and family. Through WeWork, I was able to register 11 members to vote in Austin\u2019s local elections, and it was so easy. Let your voice be heard on behalf of your community and change will come.\u201d<\/p>\n
Walk the walk<\/h2>\n
The best allies go the extra mile, expressing their support beyond just words.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing a great ally means so much more than just being well-intentioned matchmaker or adopting queer folk as your new sassy best friend,\u201d says Los Angeles-based learning specialist Kris Rapp. \u201cBeing a great ally means being willing to risk discomfort to challenge stale cultural norms that marginalize or limit people. It means listening when you don\u2019t understand, speaking up when someone disparages others, and jumping at the chance to stand up for a more inclusive, fair society.\u201d<\/p>\n
Christopher Clermont, WeWork\u2019s diversity and inclusion program lead, says it\u2019s often the small gestures that matter most.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are many ways that our community can demonstrate their engagement as an ally, from reading articles, watching a LGBTQ movie or television show, attending a local LGBTQ community events, or putting a sticker on their laptop,\u201d says Clermont. \u201cIt can\u2019t be lukewarm goodwill. We have to create time and space for human experiences different than us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Learning specialist Cameron Heron believes it\u2019s important to make sure there\u2019s a welcoming atmosphere at work.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the things I appreciate most from allies is when they create the space for LGBTQ folks to share their authentic selves in groups and situations where we otherwise may not feel comfortable opening up,\u201d Heron says. \u201dFor example, it can be difficult to bring up a same-sex partner when everyone around you is talking about their straight relationships. A great ally opens the door and invites us in to a conversation so we don’t have to wonder if we’ll be welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n
Antonio Santos Neto, a community lead at WeWork Brazil, says that he\u2019s happy that his colleagues at WeWork \u201crecognize my unique way of being and living my own life.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m all for adding my voice and perspective to whatever concerns our struggle and fight, as well as helping to clarify and inform everyone who might want to keep up with diversity,\u201d says Santos Neto. \u201cFortunately, WeWork has proven itself as a great work environment to do all that. I am more than happy to bring my true self\u2014the average gay guy Tony\u2014to the workplace for the first time in a couple decades of work experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Photos by Katelyn Perry<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u2018Speak up, but never over\u2019 and other tips for being the best supporter<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1715,"featured_media":3000001727,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43903,43912],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-175","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community-stories","category-employee-spotlight"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n