What are your thoughts about the students reponse below about LGBTQIA Including and not including ally?
It is really hard to think of a reason why the LGBTQIA+ acronym should include ally, at least in my opinion. I suppose it is fair to include them when taking into consideration, their role in helping members of the LGBTQIA+ gain certain rights. According to the article, “Adding ‘allies’ to LGBT acronym sparks controversy,” by Morgan Kelly, many of the rights the community has today were won due to allies speaking out and having a position of power in society. Because of these people, differences were able to be made because they held high positions of power. From this perspective, it may be fair to include the allies into the acronym as they did play a large role within the community in moments like this. As stated in the article, “5 Good Reasons Why the LGBTQIA+ Acronym Shouldn’t include ‘Ally,’” by Sian Ferguson, “to support an oppressed group, allies need to actively demonstrate solidarity by calling their peers out on it, by listening to the oppressed group, and by holding space for us in times of tragedy.” The people who fought with the community, have in fact demonstrated their allyship. These people who have demonstrated that they care and have helped the community gain certain rights, are the true definition of an ally and therefore should have a place in the acronym. They are contributing just as much as the people who identify as LGBTQIA+. Therefore, this should in a way make them part of the community. If you are actively involved, fighting for, and supporting a community, I suppose that would make you part of it. This is the only way, I can understand someone supporting putting allies in our community, even if it kind of feels like saying these allies are “buying” their way into the community; like if they do a good thing, they are granted entry.
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