We’ve written before in this column of our commitment to supporting Rainbow rangatahi and their whānau in our community. With upcoming PRIDE Month being celebrated throughout March we wish to reiterate the importance of being an LGBTQ+ ally.

Being a Rainbow community ally is a rewarding experience for us at the Y. We celebrate PRIDE not to push any agenda but simply to affirm our Rainbow rangatahi in the same way we affirm all young people. It’s what’s behind the second Glitter Ball we’ll be holding on 24 March for our region’s Rainbow rangatahi.

Being an ally does result in some pushback from a small number of people from time to time who can’t see the connection between their view, our organisation’s values and the Rainbow community. Simply put, at the Y we stand for our core values of Caring, Respect, Honesty and Responsibility, and for supporting all rangatahi and their whānau regardless of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation – especially those who are marginalised and vulnerable.

And make no mistake, our Rainbow rangatahi are marginalised and vulnerable. National youth surveys have found upwards of 20% of LGBTQ+ students suffer escalating bullying at school. Though 4.2% of adult New Zealanders and young people identify as LGBTQ+, many cis-gender adults hold attitudes and behaviours that result in discrimination, prejudice and exclusion against them, which in turn is linked to the appalling mental health statistics within the Rainbow community. Rates of mental distress, suicidal and self-harm behaviours among Rainbow rangatahi have been measured up to 12 times the rate for heterosexual youth, and rates for transgender or gender-queer people, are even higher.

It’s up to everyone to create safe, nurturing, inclusive environments for our Rainbow rangatahi. Being an “out and proud ally” is a great way to contribute to those efforts – here’s how you can help:

• Stay Informed: Don’t know the difference between sex and gender or current LGBT-related news and issues? Educate yourself. The Y’s Rainbow Education 101 Programme can help you with this.
• Speak Up: Too often people don’t speak up when they hear something offensive, like “that’s so gay.” It can be awkward, people don’t know what to say, or don’t want to make the situation worse. But words can hurt. When you speak up, it educates others, lets them know their words are unacceptable, and may give others the courage to speak up as well.
• Be Honest: Speak openly about family members, friends, and colleagues who are LGBTQ+ (so long as they’re out and OK with you discussing it with others). People often assume they will offend others or make them uncomfortable if they mention LGBTQ+ topics, but silence can be misinterpreted as shame or even agreement with anti-LGBTQ+ views.
• Support Equality: Support policies at school, work, or other places that help protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination. Even if the issues seem small, they can have a big impact on people’s lives. If you see or hear of an unfair rule or policy, talk about your concerns and what you can do to make a change.