Читать книгу The Savvy Ally - Jeannie Gainsburg - Страница 15

This book is not about how to be a perfect ally; it’s about how to be a pretty darn good one. In an interview with VolleyballUSA magazine, three-time Olympic gold medalist Karch Kiraly advises: “Focus on just being good, play after play. Trying to be perfect often leads to poorer and less consistent performance.”¹ Telling ourselves that we must perform perfectly sets us up to fail. It puts so much pressure on us that instead of elevating our game, it typically has the opposite effect.

My colleague Noah, a straight, white, transgender man, has gotten closer to becoming a perfect ally than anyone else I know. He is dedicated to social justice, he reads voraciously on the topic, he understands the nuances of advocacy work, and he is incredibly thoughtful and intentional in his language. He is my go-to guy whenever I need someone to discuss a social justice issue or concern. Here are his thoughts on perfect allies:

I am far more interested in the Intentional Allies, folks who work hard toward the goal of advocating frequently but not every second of every day, than the Perfect Allies, folks who respond to every comment every time. I think living and acting intentionally is a far more manageable and sustainable experience…. Sustained 50 percent is better than a burst of 100 percent followed by burnout.

This book is about creating and maintaining pretty darn good allies by embracing our vulnerability, forgiving ourselves when we mess up, and working to be better.