{"id":182,"date":"2022-12-01T07:44:29","date_gmt":"2022-12-01T12:44:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/antiracismnursing\/?post_type=chapter&p=182"},"modified":"2022-12-29T16:46:54","modified_gmt":"2022-12-29T21:46:54","slug":"what-it-means-to-be-a-critical-ally","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/antiracismnursing\/chapter\/what-it-means-to-be-a-critical-ally\/","title":{"raw":"What it Means to be a Critical Ally","rendered":"What it Means to be a Critical Ally"},"content":{"raw":"

Critical allyship<\/strong> is an important part of being anti-racist. Proudly labelling yourself an ally is not enough. Many self-proclaimed allies approach anti-racism through a non-Black\/non-racialized perspective. Most have good intentions, but this does not necessarily translate into effective actions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Critical allyship can be defined as an ongoing <\/strong>and active practice<\/strong> of working toward eradicating racism in solidarity<\/strong> with marginalized <\/strong>and oppressed groups<\/strong> (Nixon, 2019; The Anti-Oppression Network, n.d.). An important element of this definition is the word \u201cactive\u201d \u2013 you should take action by supporting non-dominant groups, addressing and dismantling discrimination, and working to promote social justice; this kind of action should also be informed, meaning that you should educate yourself (Brown & Ostrove, 2013). Don\u2019t just say you are an ally \u2013 you need to act <\/strong>to be a real ally. Critical allyship involves open and explicit support for marginalized groups and taking action to support these groups. Another important element of the definition is that actions should involve solidarity with marginalized and oppressed groups. Critical allyship involves working with these groups to explore what they believe is in their best interests and acting in unity with them (The Anti-Oppression Network, n.d.).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

As the world transitions to a digital era, allyship has followed suit and faced some unforeseen changes. Passive forms of allyship<\/strong> have emerged, which has led to the need for critical allyship. For example, social media users often use a shield of kindness to over-compensate for the lack of true allyship. They might \u201clike\u201d and \u201crepost\u201d allyship posts and resources.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Specific examples of this kind of digital allyship<\/strong> include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n