Munroe Bergdorf says if you want to be a good trans ally 'do more than posturing'
After the Supreme Court ruling excluding trans women from the definition of a woman - it's more important than ever to be an ally, but according to one activist, not enough is being done.
An ally is someone who stands up and supports equal rights for everyone, doing all they can to call out discrimination and make the world a better place for those who identify as LGBTQIA+.
But according to trans model and activist Munroe Bergdorf, more needs to be done. Munroe was the UK's first transgender model in history. She has since used her platform to advocate for the queer community, especially in advocating for trans people and their rights.
'People want to say the right thing but it's directionless. Not meaningless, but I think it's important that people know where you stand," she told Daily Mirror.
The 37-year-old, who has walked the catwalk for London and New York fashion weeks, continued: "Let's get a plan of action together. Directing traffic and money and support and awareness to services that support us is paramount, because it's not only us being impacted. Organisations are under constant attack.
"[The Trans Charity] Mermaids were under attack so severe they couldn't have corporate funding, they had to survive on donations alone for a very long time. If people are going to be allies you need to make it worth it, they need to do more than posturing their image or how they want other people to see them or how they want to be remembered. It has to be directing traffic and support and awareness."
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A study by Zoah found that 49 per cent of trans and non-binary people felt their lives had been negatively affected and issues raised ranged from healthcare to finding work. The study showed that 72 per cent of transgender and non-binary people do not feel safe because of their gender identity.
Trans lives are at risk now more than ever and a consortium of LGBTQIA+ organisations, which includes the trans charity Mermaids and Gendered Intelligence, released a statement saying that they, as a group, are "deeply concerned at the widespread, harmful implications of the Supreme Court ruling."
Reach Out, a mentoring and support collective for young people state the importance of being a visible ally, whether that be attending rallies and events, "calling out homophobia, transphobia or queerphobia wherever you see it, and supporting businesses, charities or other initiatives owned or operated by LGBTQIA+ people".
The group also recommend the following tips to ensure meaningful allyship:
Listening to learn and being respectful: Take the initiative to educate yourself on LGBTQIA+ history, listening actively and not downplaying or invalidating people's experience. Being open to, and engaging with, these conversations helps ensure you and others treat those around you with respect.
Using inclusive language and accepting gender diversity: We can do this by respecting names and pronouns chosen by members of the community, and opting for words that don't assume genders and relationship roles. For example, terms such as "partner" is inclusive.
Uplifting diverse voices: Often, the queer community's experience is also effected by other factors such as religion, ability, culture and race. Seek these diverse stories out for a more well-rounded understanding of the complexities being LGBTQIA+.
Seeing the whole person: It is easy to label someone by one characteristic or factor. Its important to acknowledge people are layered and complex, with many interests, passions and skills that and should be celebrated.
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