Meet Julie (she/her). While Julie has always known she was straight and never had to go through the lonely, frightening process of coming to terms with her sexuality, she always makes it a point to say “Ugh, no, but I wish I was!” whenever anyone asks if she’s a member of the queer community. Julie could teach a master class in allyship!
If you’re a member of the local LGBTQ+ community, you probably know Julie; and if you don’t, she’d love to meet you and take a selfie with you to post on Instagram. Julie is a regular at the gay bars in town and when she isn’t making eyes at the bartenders for free drinks, she can usually be found flirting and dancing with the other patrons, while of course making it a point to tell them nothing is going to happen because she’s straight and has a boyfriend, sorry!
Most people think that to be an ally, you have to do things like educate yourself about the systematic oppression marginalized communities face, actively work to dismantle those systems, and do your part in helping marginalized communities get a seat at the table. As a self-proclaimed empath, Julie has a different approach. She doesn’t do any of these things but “really relates” to the LGBTQ+ community. She’s also thinking about not eating Chick-Fil-A anymore. Wow!
Straight as she may be, Julie still holds on to hope that maybe she’s just a late bloomer. Occasionally she’ll “check” by making out with another girl at a frat house, as long as she knows the guys are watching, but alas, the sparks never fly for her. Being straight isn’t a choice, as Julie so often likes to remind everyone, but if it were she “wouldn’t be gay, but probably bi.”
Sure Julie will never know the feeling of being rejected by her family, not having a bathroom that matches her gender identity, or having a mob of right-wing freaks openly talking about how they want her dead; but she wishes she did, and that’s what allyship is all about. So go ahead and make Pride Month all about you, Julie. You’ve earned it!