I got my hair cut recently, and I was talking to my stylist about being an ally to the queer community. She nodded along, then after a while asked, “So… what’s an ally?”

I forgot that not everyone knows what an ally is!

I told her that an ally is someone from a non-marginalized group who uses their privilege to advocate for a marginalized group. They transfer the benefits of their privilege to those who lack it.

She said, Oh, I’m an ally!” and gave an example of helping people in a different marginalized community by giving advice on something unique to them.

Well - sort of.

Yes, it’s about helping, but if you’re an ally, it’s not about you and what you think another community could do better. Instead, you’re centering that community and recognizing that they are the experts of their own experience.

You are empowering them, lifting them up, and advocating for them by using the privilege that you have, whatever that is: access, power, money, connections, visibility.

What are some examples you’ve seen of an ally using their privilege to benefit the trans community?

On June 18, SCOTUS issued its ruling for US v. Skrmetti, upholding the health care ban in Tennessee that has prevented transgender youth from accessing puberty blockers, hormone replacement therapy, and surgeries since March 2023. This ruling is a huge blow to trans adolescents and their families across the country, particularly in light of the ongoing attacks on transgender folks of all ages by the current administration.

Join us on July 8 for a review of the Skrmetti ruling, its immediate impact, and considerations for the future. This info session is for caregivers, parents, and families with transgender children, as well as mental health providers.

Panelists include:

⚧️ Mandy Giles (me!), a parent advocate in Houston, Texas, who has spent years supporting families of trans youth and testifying against anti-trans bills. Mandy is also the founder of Parents of Trans Youth.

⚧️ Larissa Godfrey-Smith, therapist and founder of Godfrey-Smith Counseling in Washington, DC. Larissa has over a decade of experience working with transgender and queer folks of all ages, both in private practice and community mental health settings.

⚧️ Shelly Skeen is an attorney in Dallas, Texas, and South Central Regional Director for Lambda Legal. She has worked with transgender people across the country to ensure that they have identity documents that match who they are, and also works with Texas law schools, nonprofit organizations, and law firms to educate them about how to safely obtain accurate identity documents on behalf of their clients.

Tickets are free but donations are appreciated. All proceeds will go to Parents of Trans Youth, Lambda Legal, and the Godfrey-Smith Counseling Trans Refugee Fund.

Mandy Giles​
Founder, Parents of Trans Youth​

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