Ally Week

Any student who knows me personally or saw me often last year, probably knows that I participated in the Day of Silence. Day of Silence was an entire day where I quietly protested LGBT bullying by not speaking, at all. This year I’m hoping to add one more event to the list – Ally Week. Ally Week takes place this month on the 17^th- 21^st.

Ally Week was started by GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) in 2005. It is a whole week dedicated to finding allies for the LGBT community in school. An ally, in this case, is any person who supports the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered community. They also stand up against bullying and harassment targeted toward LGBT youth in school.

If I get the okay to do this from the principal, I’ll be reaching out to others, students and teachers, to sign a pledge saying they’ll become an ally. This pledge states that the person signing it believes all students, be they straight, gay, transgendered, or other, deserves to feel safe in school and to help make this happen the person pledges to refrain from using anti-LGBT slurs, stop harassment targeted towards LGBT youth, if one safely can, and support the people trying to stop the harassment.

If more people decide to step up to the people who bully those who are different, maybe they’ll finally stop. I’m not saying this will change the world in a week, but one would be surprised how much one person, doing one thing can help and encourage someone else. Ally Week’s saying/motto is, “Change attitudes. Change behaviors. Change directions. Change lives. Change policies. Change voices. Be an ally. Be the change.” The motto means that by changing one’s attitude, behavior, or direction in life, or by changing school policies, can change the lives of so many.