Allyship and ActivismPart 1

Becoming a better ally entails numerous activities that are integral to representing
oppressed groups. One of the steps to becoming a better ally is establishing fruitful friendships
with individuals who are not marginalized. It is vital to acknowledge that friendship is key to
community building and establishing allies. Thanks to friendship, individuals feel loved and
protected, and this gives them enough assurance that they are significant in society (Axner,
2020). Friendship also helps the majority to understand the problems that oppressed groups face.
Recognizing problems faced by marginalized groups can help the public rectify the causative
agents of the issues. Remarkably, friendship helps break down barriers and mistrust, which is
what becoming better allies entails.
Taking the role of a better ally may require individuals to learn about diverse cultures.
Notably, learning about other cultures helps us understand what the group adores and the factors
responsible for their oppression. The oppressed groups often feel cared for when an ally
understands certain aspects of their culture, making communication easier (Axner, 2020). It is
vital to acknowledge that learning about other people’s cultures may entail understanding the
experiences they have gone through.
The other step that one needs to undertake to become a better ally is examining their
prejudices. Better allies must learn to overcome their prejudices to avoid acting in ways that may
irritate the oppressed groups. Every individual has misinformation and stereotypes about other
people because misinformation exists in modern multicultural society, including on social media
(Axner, 2020). Some information from social media forms a foundation of misunderstanding and
fear upon which individuals build their prejudices. As a better ally, there is a dire need to
overcome our prejudices to avoid being labeled racists. The steps will be effective if properly
implemented and significantly help represent the needs of oppressed groups.

Part 2

An examination of the transgender population indicates that activism has helped achieve
equity. In the past few years, transgender people faced criticism and were not recognized in
society. It is vital to acknowledge that activism has helped reduce discrimination against
transgender people. Remarkably, activism can be in many forms, including peaceful riots to
create awareness that LGBTQ rights should be upheld as they deserve to be treated like any other
citizen (Haefele-Thomas & Combs, 2019). With activism, transgender individuals have rights
that protect their gender identity. Notably, President Barrack Obama’s administration helped
enact laws and regulations that protect LGBTQ from any forms of discrimination.
Additionally, activism on social media platforms has made it possible for transgender
individuals to have equal opportunities to hire candidates by organizations. In the past, the hiring
process of numerous organizations was discriminative because only the male figure preferred to
occupy available positions. Today, regardless of their gender identity, all individuals are entitled
to equal opportunity as far as jobs are concerned (Haefele-Thomas & Combs, 2019). Individuals
can present their ideas through social media, which vividly explains how all individuals should
be treated regardless of their gender identity.
Numerous improvements still need to be made as far as equity is concerned. Some
countries still discriminate against people based on their gender identity, which is wrong.
Governments of various countries should enact laws that protect transgender individuals from
avoiding unequal treatment based on gender identity. Additionally, employment laws for
organizations should be stringent to ensure that diversity is attained.

3

References

Axner, M. (2020). Section 5. Learning to be an Ally for People from Diverse Groups and
Backgrounds. Community Tool Box at the University https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-
contents/culture/cultural-competence/be-an-ally/main
Haefele-Thomas, A. & Combs, T. (2019). Chapter 4: Direct Action, Collective Histories, and
Collective Activism: What a riot! Introduction to Studies. Harrington Park Press, LLC.
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