Expert explains how to be an ally, other ways to show support during Pride month
WASHINGTON (7News) — June is Pride Month and a lot of people want to be allies to the LGBTQIA+ community. But when it comes to your own family, how do you know whether the way you’re showing support is what your loved one wants?
Kristi Beroldi is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Assistant Clinic Director at Thriveworks in Reston, Virginia. She’s also part of the LGBTQIA+ community and spoke with Lindsey Mastis on The Wellness Desk.
WATCH the entire interview here or below:
She said in the past, being an “ally” was a way for someone to be part of the community without coming out. But nowadays, it’s a way for anyone to show support and she recommends that people amplify the voices of the community, rather than trying to tell their stories for them.
SEE ALSO | PHOTOS: Fairfax Co. seniors celebrate Pride Month with drag show at retirement community
When it comes to supporting LGBTQIA+ youth in your own family, Beroldi said it’s important to consider the individual. She said most young people have one simple request.
“Sometimes it’s just for their parents to listen to them, and hear them. Because people have this impression of what being an ally is and so sometimes they’ll just go and do that, and sometimes the kid’s like they don’t’ need to do all that. I really would just like them to listen to me,” she said.
Beroldi also said if someone is coming out to you, it’s okay to be surprised. It’s a natural reaction, and after all, you weren’t supposed to know before they decided to tell you.
