KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Allies are essential to members of the LGBTQ+ community. That's the word from John Camp, the executive director of Knox Pride, who uses he/they pronouns.
"Standing up for queer people, standing next to queer people and supporting them is really important for allies," Camp said.
Knox Pride is one of several organizations supporting the region's LGBTQ+ community. While offering resources, classes and community for LGBTQ+ people and families, it also uplifts the Knoxville community through mutual aid programs like its community fridge and "Thriftique" programs.
It offers life-building classes and support groups, all available at the organization's South Knoxville headquarters.
People outside Knoxville are also making a difference, including PFLAG's Oak Ridge chapter. The chapter was formed around 15 years ago and also offers resources and community for the LGBTQ+ community in Anderson County.
"I am a straight, white woman, I have a lot of privilege," said Anne Backus, the chapter's co-chair who uses she/her pronouns. "I should use that privilege for other people. And for me, I care about the young people, so I want a better place for them as they're growing up."
She said she's seen first-hand how much of a difference straight people can make by supporting people in the LGBTQ+ community.
"Anything you can do to support a person, sometimes it's just being nice," Backus said. "I mean if we were nice to everybody, the world would be a better place."
Backus said the most important thing an ally can do is educate themselves about the struggles LGBTQ+ face, the nuances of different identities within the community and how they can advocate to help the community thrive.
"So education always. First, use your name and pronouns whenever you're on a Zoom, or introducing yourself as a speaker," Backus said.
She said she shows her allyship through her clothing and actions when in public.
"I have a 'Mama Bear' T-shirt that has a little rainbow and it tells people out in the community, 'Oh, this is an ally, right?'" she said. "So even just by wearing that."
Allies are able to help advocate for queer people when they're in need of support, Camp said.
"We, as queer people, can't do all of us on our own, and sometimes we're just very tired," they said. "It can be very tiring to be a queer person in the South, trying to survive or just live a normal life. That's what we all want at the end of the day. So, allyship is key to that."
Anyone who'd like to volunteer with, or donate to, Knox Pride can visit the nonprofit's website here. To volunteer with PFLAG Oak Ridge, contact Backus at backusanne@comcast.net
People can also reach out to organizations across the state and the U.S. to learn more about allyship. A list of some organizations is available below.
- PFLAG: https://pflag.org/
- Human Rights Coalition: https://www.hrc.org/resources/being-an-lgbtq-ally
- The Venture Out Project: https://www.ventureoutproject.com/resource
- UC Davis LGBTQIA Resource Center: https://lgbtqia.ucdavis.edu/educated/ally-tips
- The Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/guide/a-guide-to-being-an-ally-to-transgender-and-nonbinary-youth/
- Queer Power Alliance: https://queerpoweralliance.org/