BAME LGBT Allies Network

BAME - Black, Asian minoritised ethnicities
LGBT - lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans

What is a ‘BAME LGBT ally’
A BAME person who...
• Does not necessarily identify as LGBT themselves
• Is an example within their community of someone who believes in and fights for equality for all people
• Challenges discrimination against LGBT people (homophobia, biphobia, transphobia) whether direct or indirect
• Has a basic knowledge of what LGBT means, some of the most common experiences and prejudice LGBT people can face
• Can encourage people within BAME communities to engage in discussion on gender and sexuality - with the aim of encouraging others to accept and support people who are LGBT or questioning their identities
• Someone who advocates for the work we do and the support that we provide for young people

What the Proud Trust knows
• There are many BAME LGBT young people who don’t feel able to be ‘out’ or their full selves within their local BAME, faith or cultural communities.
• LGBT communities can also be a place where BAME LGBT young people don’t feel able to be their full selves.
• There are stereotypes and myths about BAME communities being ‘more homophobic, biphobic and transphobic than white communities’. This is rarely, openly challenged and can affect how BAME LGBT young people relate to and feel in their communities – often fearing unacceptance from family, friends, elders and community members.
• There are fewer numbers of BAME LGBT young people who access LGBT youth provision but who still need support.
• There are supportive people within BAME and faith communities who need support to be visible allies: Being silently supportive, sadly is not enough.
• Allies have a lot of influence within BAME communities in encouraging people to think differently about gender and sexuality; everyone has a, or has a relationship with gender and sexuality. Not all gender identities and sexualities are respected and validated and this is a problem and we want to change this.

What the Proud Trust can offer
• LGBT awareness and allies training
• Resources to use for yourself and with others
• 1 – 1 support for you
• Awareness workshops within your youth projects
• Awareness workshops within your school/college (charged for)
• A network of support from other BAME LGBT allies

Aims for the network
• To develop a network of BAME LGBT allies who can be called upon to help support young people and help support reach further by:
• Booking workshops for youth groups and projects
• Supporting BAME LGBT young people
• Challenging homophobia, biphobia and transphobia
• Opening discussion with co-workers, young people and community members around equality, gender and sexuality
• Being a visible ally
• To feel confident that BAME LGBT young people who are and are not accessing LGBT specific support feel as though they have support and acceptance from within their local communities.
• To reach and support communities who perhaps - for varying reasons - may struggle to have open conversations about gender and sexuality, who feel unsupported in this area or who feel that it is in conflict with tradition, culture and or belief.