What type of allies are there?

We have looked at definitions of identity, intersectionality, privilege, power, allies and allyship in the previous article.

We are now going to look at different types of allies to try to understand how we can act as allies in different situations. These types are:

• sponsors
• scholars
• confidant
• champion
• amplifier
• advocate
• bystander (upstander).

Sponsor

An ally who uses their assets to support people from groups experiencing inequality to advance. An example might be widening participation in healthcare. Enabling students from backgrounds where their education was not enough to attain grades for entry to the course. The students can do a foundation year which will bring them up to the level of other students.

Case study

Philip works with marginalised colleagues on temporary contracts whose work is invaluable for their trainees, but whose jobs are about to be axed. He writes to the managers explaining the value of his colleagues and does not let the matter rest until the outcome changes.

Scholar

This an ally who learns about challenges experienced by groups who experience inequality. By sharing resources and educating others about the issues, the scholar ensures that those experiencing the challenges do not always have to be the ones educating others. This might involve being prepared to deliver talks or share educational resources. It should not be done for personal glory or recognition.

Case study

Our contributor Dr Becky Cox, with colleague Dr Chelcie Jewitt, has developed resources and educational material as well as delivering talks and workshops on issues around sexual harassment in healthcare through their organisation Surviving in Scrubs.

Confidant

An ally who creates and maintains safe spaces for marginalised groups within an organisation or workplace. This could be a physical place such as a prayer room or someone you know you can go to, be listened to, understood and not judged. In a healthcare settings this could be someone wearing a rainbow lanyard or having an inclusive website and waiting room posters enabling someone from a marginalised group to feel safe to speak about their issues.

This will also be based on the relationship a person already has with you and would mean that the ‘confidant’ would not, for example, deny that someone had said something inappropriate but accept the view of the marginalised person as they experienced it.

Case study

Transgender people were given the chance to teach medical students. As part of the session preparation, they had an interview where they could explain and share their experiences in healthcare. During the session the students listened, learned and understood more from the perspective of the transgender patient and how they could enable them to have a better experience and outcome when the students themselves were qualified.

Champion

This is an ally who voluntarily defers to someone from a marginalised group. In a healthcare setting this means in a healthcare team recommending a team member and deferring to them in a presentation, team meeting or ward round. This is explored by Dr Chris Turner in his video on allyship.

Case study

Tim, Mary and Blessing are working to present at a conference on some research they have done with marginalised communities, specifically those who are seeking asylum. The project works on co-production with these groups. When preparing for the presentation, they ask Ahmed, one of the people seeking asylum they have worked with, to speak as a core part of the presentation team and take questions. They defer to Ahmed to talk about his experiences and to answer questions first during the presentation.

Advocate

An advocate is an ally who understands that their privilege gives them access to opportunities a marginalised colleague or patient may not have and addresses this. An example would be in a meeting inviting someone to speak or explaining that the other person is an expert and giving them an opportunity. As a General Practitioner (Family Physician) we advocate for our patients.

Case study

Mr Jones has severe aortic stenosis and is at risk of sudden death. He is on a long waiting list. Dr Ahmed knows Mr Jones, who has poor education and social status, cannot cope with ringing the hospital nor does he understand the implications of the long wait. Dr Ahmed ensures the appointment is sped up.

Amplifier

They understand marginalised groups are often left out of policy making. They strive for representation within communication. An ally can ask for opinions of groups to be considered in policy making or be represented in groups.

Case study

Powering Up is an organisation that works with young people from some of the UK’s most deprived boroughs to centre their voice in changing healthcare. This has resulted in changes to local healthcare pathways for young people, following listening to their voices.

Active Bystander or *Upstander (USA/ Canada)*

An active bystander or upstander acts against and intervenes when something wrong is happening. An active bystander is an ally who acts directly (see Week 3 – active bystander films and articles).

Case study

Ameera is a medical student on a ward round when the consultant asks her to take a history from Mrs Jones. Before she starts Mrs Jones says she prefers to speak to a white medical student. The consultant says very clearly to Mrs Jones that this is totally inappropriate, Ameera will be a doctor in the future and the colour of her skin is totally irrelevant. She asks Ameera is she is alright and does she feel OK to still speak with Mrs Jones. She supports her after the Ward Round and speaks to Mrs Jones afterwards and educates her about equality and how important all doctors are, that it is their skills and knowledge that count.

Most allies can be a different type of ally in a different situation or a combination of allies in the same situation.

How not to do it!

Performative allyship

This is when someone’s primary motivation for action is not because they care about the issues but when they want to appear good or prove that they are not racist, sexist or LGBTQ+ phobic.

It is important that an ally reflects on several points:

• Is the action taken quietly without anyone being aware? Someone who wants to get noticed and receive praise is a performative ally.
• Is the action spontaneous (a true ally) or because you are being asked to do it by your workplace or because you have to ‘tick a box’? (This could be performative allyship.)
• Is the action because it is a ‘hot topic’ which will not last beyond recent publicity (performative allyship)? Or will it happen when it is not trendy or talked about? (True ally.)