False Allies

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

I have an unpopular observation. Not all allies are true allies.

I can personally attest to the value of allies. My allies have been essential in ensuring my voice was heard, they advocated for me, and they challenged leadership when leadership punished me for daring to express a divergent opinion. Last week I published a thank you letter to my first ally. He is the ally by which I measure all other allies. I know the value of allies, and so does the D&I community.

I worry that allyship is featured so prominently in diversity and inclusion dialogue. I fear this discussion is just another way to center white men in the critical conversation of inclusion and racial equity.

Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing. Currently, it’s fashionable to identify as an ally. Identifying as an ally can generate attention, speaking gigs, and goodwill. But I suspect some are just lying about their allyship. I suspect others mistakenly believe they are real allies, and I know some “allies” are being purposefully deceitful. There I said it.

We should reject allies who support women, but not women of color. We should reject so-called allies who are only allies when someone is watching. We should reject allies who think using token women or POC isn’t obvious. These false allies may not be ravening wolves, but they are assuredly not sheep.