Hello, I’m Selena and I’m straight. I know the world looks different to people who aren’t, and I can’t begin to understand. I can listen, I can be aware of my own words and actions and I can try to be an ally. It’s easy to be an ally today with a few clicks and color changes, but how can we be good allies when it isn’t as simple as a little armchair activism? We turned to GLAAD and Give A Damn for help and advice. 
GLAAD and Give A Damn both have lots of resources for current and future allies. I was especially moved by the following videos from GLAAD on how to be a good ally, including one that aired on The N and was aimed at tweens and teens.
And these two for older audiences
The GLAAD site also lists the following 10 Ways to be an Ally and a Friend:
- Be a listener.
- Be open-minded.
- Be willing to talk.
- Be inclusive and invite LGBT friends to hang out with your friends and family.
- Don’t assume that all your friends and co-workers are straight. Someone close to you could be looking for support in their coming-out process. Not making assumptions will give them the space they need.
- Homophobic comments and jokes are harmful. Let your friends, family and co-workers know that you find them offensive.
- Confront your own prejudices and homophobia, even if it is uncomfortable to do so.
- Defend your LGBT friends against discrimination.
- Believe that all people, regardless of gender identity and sexual orientation, should be treated with dignity and respect.
- If you see LGBT people being misrepresented in the media, contact us at glaad.org.
Give A Damn put together a great series of videos, as well, including these two PSAs:
For more information, please visit:
Bisexual Resource Center
http://www.biresource.org/
Family Pride: Equality for LGBT Parents and Their Families
http://www.familypride.org/
Freedom to Marry
http://www.freedomtomarry.org/
Marriage Equality Information Resource Center
http://www.thetaskforce.org/issues/marriage_and_partnership_recognition
National Center for Transgender Equality
http://www.nctequality.org/
Service Members Legal Defense Network
http://www.sldn.org/templates/index.html
Teen Suicide Helpline for Gay & Questioning Teens
Toll free helpline: 866-488-7386
http://www.thetrevorproject.org/
Terminology: Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual Glossary of Terms
GLAAD Media Reference Guide – Glossary of Terms
Terminology: Transgender Glossary of Terms
http://glaad.org/media/guide/transfocus.php
Transgender Issues in the Workplace
http://nmmstream.net/hrc/downloads/publications/tgtool.pdf
TransProud: For Parents of Transgender Children
http://www.transproud.com/parents.html
