Taking place all over the world in June, Pride Month is a chance to celebrate LGBTQIA+ people and their communities. Pride Month is an opportunity for queer people to showcase their identities loud and proud, reflect on progress made and advocate for the changes that still need to come.

This year, we asked LGBTQIA+ dads Ross and Jack (from @rossandrewartha) for their advice to be a good ally, not just for Pride Month but all year long. Here’s what they had to say:

1.      Attend a Pride Event

This could include a Drag event, an exhibition, a parade, or a fundraiser just to name a few. These events are only possible with the support of local communities, so even just showing up is a great place to start! 

Contrary to popular belief, Pride events take place across Australia all year round beyond the month of June.

2.      Read Queer Stories

These could be stories about queer people or stories written by queer people. There’s so many books out there and they’re not just for adults! “There are amazing kids books that really easily explain the different kinds of families that are out there like ours” says Jack. So next time you’re out shopping, keep an eye out for diverse stories and authors, especially if you don’t have any LGBTQIA+ stories on your bookshelf yet.

You can visit QBD Books to get started.

3.      Be aware of inequality, and don’t be afraid to call it out

The best place to start is simply being aware of what’s appropriate to say, from respecting pronouns to not assuming people’s sexuality. This Pride Month is a great opportunity to do some extra research and find resources on how to refer to non-binary people, how to describe non-traditional families, how to respond to someone coming out, and more.

Then, if you overhear or witness inequality in action, simply call it for what it is. This doesn’t need to be a big gesture; simply recognising the inequality and establishing that it’s not OK can go a long way in helping people identify their own biases, and helping others to feel more confident calling it out when they witness it themselves.

4.      Support Queer Businesses

Financial support is essential in reducing equality gaps. Next time you shop, keep an eye out for the rainbow sticker on business facades; this means the business is either LGBTQIA+ owned or simply welcoming.

5.      Create Inclusive Spaces

For Ross and Jack, this was possibly the most significant way people could be an ally all year round.

For them, creating an inclusive space means fostering communication and trying to understand diverse perspectives. When we do this, we can create inclusive homes, workplaces, and public spaces for the queer community and beyond.

With this in mind, we hope you feel equipped to be an ally not just in June, but beyond. Thanks to Ross and Jack for sharing these tips, and happy Pride Month to all.