Becoming an Ally is a book for men who want to end sexism, white people
who want to end racism, straight people who want to end heterosexism,
able-bodied people who want to end ableism -- for all people who
recognize their privilege and want to move toward a more just world by
learning to act as allies.
Has oppression always been with us, just part of "human nature"? What
does individual healing have to do with social justice? What does social
justice have to do with individual healing? Why do members of the same
oppressed group fight one another, sometimes more viciously than they
fight their oppressors? Why do some who experience oppression develop a
life-long commitment to fighting oppression, while others turn around
and oppress those with less power?
In this accessible and enlightening book, now in its third edition, Anne
Bishop examines history, economic and political structures, and
individual psychology in a search for the origins of racism, sexism,
heterosexism, ableism, ageism and all the other forms of oppression that
divide us. Becoming an Ally looks for paths to justice and lays out
guidelines for becoming allies of oppressed peoples when we are in the
privileged role.
A new chapter in this third edition offers a greatly expanded discussion
of effective approaches to educating allies, which is meant for teachers
of adults, particularly those who teach about diversity, equity and
anti-oppression. In this chapter, Bishop examines the ways in which
Western culture prevents us from recognizing our roles as members of
privileged groups and explores how to challenge this with participatory
exercises and group discussion.
