January 17, 2013
12 Steps to becoming an LGBT ally in 2013
Kimberly Knight speaks lovingly and forthrightly to straight people of faith about being allies with LGBT people in working for full social and legal equality in all aspects of life. Knight regularly provides her perspective as a lesbian Christian by writing a blog called Coming Out Christian for the Progressive Christian Channel on Patheos. Her blog has the tagline, “Conversations about being gay and Christian in America.” In this “12 steps” post, she provides practical suggestions (such as praying, listening, reading, asking, and eight other actions) to guide caring people in becoming allies to their LGBT sisters and brothers. Her essay can remind us that every societally stigmatized or marginalized group can benefit from having allies in working for social justice. In the civil rights movement for racial equality in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s, white allies—often at great cost and danger—joined with their black sisters and brothers to bring about social change. And there have always been some supportive men who have worked side by side with women in working for gender equality. The situation is no different in the case of LGBT persons. Allies can play an important role. (We are proud to say that our organization, EEWC-Christian Feminism Today, has long been a place where LGBT persons and their allies can find a home and sense of family together, because we know that we all need each other and love one another— no matter which category we’re in.)
