Indigenous allyship

During this time of activism to end gender-based violence, it is of vital importance that we address the deplorable rates of violence that are perpetrated against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ people. 63% of Indigenous women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime and are 12 times more likely to be murdered than any other demographic, and this number increases for Indigenous women living in the North. 26% of Indigenous women experience sexual violence during childhood. Of all these crimes, over 70% are perpetrated by non-indigenous people. The exact number of missing and murdered Indigenous Women,

Girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ people is unknown, as thousands of these cases have been unreported or misreported.

If these statistics shock you, they should. These rates are that of genocide and they are happening on our doorstep.

The use of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ people has been, and continues to be a tool of colonization and is a result of broad systemic racism. As we know, the lands on which we live and know today as Canada, have been home to Indigenous peoples for millennia before European colonization. Indigenous peoples have inhabited these lands with their own cultures, languages and ways of knowing, with complex, self-governing nations across what we know today as North America. The arrival of European settlers brought devastation and imposed change to Indigenous people and cultures. Colonization occurs through enforced foreign customs, culture, religion, and laws, and by seizing land and access to resources, all of which was intended to make Indigenous people reliant on their colonizers. Along with their laws, cultural and moral beliefs, and individualistic attitudes concerning land and resources, European colonists also brought disease previously unknown to the Indigenous populations, which is estimated to have killed between 90-95% of Indigenous people. Many attempts have been made over the centuries to assimilate Indigenous people into the European ideal, with the intention of eliminating Indigenous people and their cultures and ways of knowing in deliberate and systemic acts of genocide and epistemicide. Through state-sanctioned terror and violence enforced by the RCMP, children were kidnapped from their homes and torn from their families to attend residential schools, where they were forced to adopt a new language and religion and their traditional practices were forbidden. We know today that many children were tortured and murdered by those in positions of power at these residential schools, and this did not end until 1996.

This history matters. It represents the successful attempt by white settlers in creating a society that dehumanizes Indigenous peoples, sees them as disposable, and by extension, accepts the normalization of violence. But perhaps more harrowingly, this history is ongoing. This violence continues, and Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ people are statistically more likely to be the ones experiencing this violence. They experience normalized violence in their everyday lives: stereotypes in the media, discrimination in the streets, the workplace, the education and healthcare systems.

I humbly write this as a settler here on these lands. I write this as someone with a lot to learn and unlearn. I write this as someone who has made mistakes, and who will inevitably make more. As a white woman, I directly benefit from the colonialist structures that still exist in this country. I have access to healthcare, education and employment opportunities that are not as accessible to Indigenous women and 2SLGTBQIA+ people, and I can access them without fear of discrimination.

Hopefully, you’re asking yourself what you can do. Being an ally is not simply self-proclaiming yourself to be. It is not a title, but rather an ongoing practice and way of life, and is a privilege that can only be given by those whose lives we claim to support. It should not be the end-goal, or a badge to wear, but rather should develop through authentic, genuine connections with Indigenous people. It requires self-reflection, education, active listening and action. We must understand our own privilege and the structures in our society that enable that privilege, in order to help dismantle unjust systems of oppression, and be ready to transfer the benefits of our privilege to those who lack it.

Here are some steps you can take in your journey to become a better ally.

1. Learn and Unlearn - find out about the land you are on, and the people whom that land belongs to. Read as much Indigenous history as you can, ideally written by Indigenous people. This includes present day stories, policies and barriers. Do your own research, rather than rely on Indigenous people to give you the answers. This may also include holding others accountable, and challenging prejudice, misconceptions and misinformation, or simply sharing information with other non-indigenous people. Read reports on MMIWG2S, such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action document and the National Inquiry’s document, Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

. Share - wherever you can. Amplify the voices of Indigenous people. Make sure you are sharing unaltered messages, not imposing your own thoughts or opinions. Indigenous peoples are the experts of their own experiences. Use social media to share Indigenous-made content, but be conscious of performative allyship (action that is disingenuous and typically taken for self-gratification). Ensure you are reciprocating when asking Indigenous peoples to share their stories and avoid tokenism.

. Act - in the workplace: hire or provide opportunities for Indigenous people, especially when the work is for and/or about them. Give Indigenous people a platform to speak, even at the cost of your own voice. In the classroom: challenge Eurocentric knowledge systems and ways of knowing. Support local organizations, attend marches or protests, donate to Indigenous causes and buy from Indigenous owned businesses. Find Indigenous made media and art - podcasts, music, television, books, articles and listen. Showing up to support is a great first step, but better yet offer services, skills or any other way you can actively help without taking space.

These conversations can be difficult, but it is exactly that discomfort that has excused so much ignorance in our society. Reflecting on our own contributions to a colonialist system of oppression is neither simple nor comfortable, but it is absolutely crucial. We all have a responsibility in ending violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ people.

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