Allyship

How can we show allyship by working to ensure that people from marginalized and equity-seeking communities are heard and their voices prioritized?

• Be aware of whose voices are heard and valued and whose voices are missing.
• Use your platforms and networks to help amplify these voices.
• Seek out, share and elevate diverse perspectives and expertise.
• Speak up, not over.

Allies can use their own privilege to help shift the narrative, include a diversity of voices and perspectives, and counteract silencing.

Accessibility is the practice of making information, activities and environments usable and meaningful for as many people as possible, including people with disabilities.

While the majority of Torontonians understand and support the values of diversity and human rights, accessibility and inclusion of people with disabilities are often overlooked. People with disabilities often face barriers in their daily lives, and allies can play a role in advocating for those barriers to be dismantled. The Toronto For All Disability Inclusion campaign shared five ways to show allyship with people with disabilities:

• See the person, not the disability. Treat people with disabilities the same way you would want to be treated.
• Include people with disabilities in your conversations – and speak directly with them.
• Ask first. Don’t assume people with disabilities want help and don’t force your assistance on anyone.
• Don’t ask people with disabilities awkward and inappropriate questions about their disability. It’s an invasion of their privacy, especially if you don’t know them.
• Speak up. When you see something that’s not accessible, report it.

Visit toronto.ca/accessibility to learn about accessibility in City of Toronto programs and services.

Inclusion is creating spaces, in your workplace, social or family circles, where people who have historically been excluded or discriminated against are welcomed and accepted. Acts of allyship helps to foster and build safer, more respectful communities and spaces.

Active and effective allyship is critical in promoting inclusion, and can create a sense of solidarity and belonging when most needed.

• Think broadly about diversity
• Rather than treating others how you want to be treated, take it a step further and think about how they would choose to be treated
• Consider how well you encourage and embrace new or different ideas and perspectives

Compassion and empathy can be powerful tools for allyship. Compassion is often the starting point for allies and fostering this mindset can create a bridge to active allyship.

Leading with compassion can also help difficult conversations – often an act of allyship in itself – go more smoothly. Meeting people with respect and empathy when challenging harmful language or excluding behaviour can build bridges and help to recognize our shared humanity.

Active allyship with 2SLGBTQ+ people and communities can take many forms. It means refraining from making assumptions about someone’s gender or sexual orientation, and standing with 2SLGBTQ+ communities facing rising discrimination.

• Listen to the experiences and perspectives of 2SLGBTQ+ people and learn about 2LGBTQ+ communities.
• Respect the language people use to identify themselves, including names and pronouns.
• Use correct pronouns for people – if you are not sure, ask respectfully by sharing your own.
• Normalize volunteering your pronouns upfront.

Speaking up when people around us use hateful language is not always easy, but discrimination thrives when we tolerate it. Our partner OCASI created a short video that shows how racism multiplies when nobody objects.

OCASI’s Backyard Blast video shows discriminatory language stopped in its tracks when interrupted. There are many ways for allies to speak up.

• Approach the situation with curiosity; ask questions.
• Model the use of respectful and inclusive language.
• Get comfortable being uncomfortable.

Speaking up can be an effective act of allyship and solidarity. The more of us that speak up against hateful language, the easier it becomes.

Allies can show solidarity with communities that have faced and continue to face long-standing inequities and discrimination as a result of colonialism and anti-Black racism by supporting Indigenous- and Black-owned businesses. When small businesses and entrepreneurs flourish, so do their communities.

The City’s Reconciliation Action Plan and Action Plan to Confront Anti-Black Racism both highlight the need to support Indigenous-and Black-owned businesses to help communities thrive.

Allyship involves unlearning unconscious biases you may have

towards other people. Unconscious biases are attitudes, beliefs and stereotypes we form about groups of people without being consciously aware of them. These unconscious beliefs guide how we respond to people and situations without us realizing. It’s important for allies to first be aware of their own unconscious biases in order to unlearn.

• Self-reflect – take the time to think about and acknowledge unconscious biases you may hold.
• Learn to slow down – unconscious biases tend to come out when people are under pressure or react quickly.
• Actively consider other people’s perspectives – seek out a range of experiences and voices.

Unlearning unconscious biases is an ongoing action allies can take over time rather than a short-term goal.

Learn more about allyship through these resources from community organizations, schools, grassroots groups, and institutional partners. This is not an exhaustive list but a starting point.

Some facts and information listed on this page may be out of date. The City of Toronto is not responsible for the content of the external websites listed on this page. The City of Toronto does not endorse, approve, or guarantee the accuracy of the information available on these websites.