Ally Toolkit for Men

Dr. Carrie Bourassa, Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health argues that men must be included in the conversation: Reflecting on a conversation with a friend who said to her: “If we don’t bring the men into the circle, what are we doing?” She agrees that “ We need to make space for men in our circle.” [ link to Dr. Bourassa’s video, minute 27:55-30:30]. “ This is where conversations can happen, awareness can happen, and perspectives are shared. There is valuable dialogue to be had.”

Men have an important role to play as allies, mentors and sponsors supporting women and gender diverse people from different backgrounds to move into leadership roles. It is necessary work for those who occupy a position of privilege to challenge inequitable structures, such as sexism, racism and settler colonialism.

Allyship involves a continuous commitment to learning and unlearning. To that end, we have compiled a database of resources for men from all backgrounds who have arrived at an understanding of their importance in supporting inclusive health leadership. These resources are a starting point for men  to actively listen to and learn about how to create supportive environments for women on their leadership journey. You can then move onto the next Ally Toolkit to Support Diverse Leadership to learn more about white privilege and work towards allyship with Black women, Indigenous women and women of colour.

Some of the key topics covered in this ally toolkit for men include:

• Why is Allyship Necessary?
• What Does Allyship Entail?
  • Recognize Biased Assumptions about Leadership
  • Recognize & Stop Microaggressions
  • Challenge tokenism & an end to ‘Manels’
• Mentorship & Sponsorship
  • Mentorship in the Era of #MeToo and #TimesUp
  • Become an Active By-stander