Analia Coccia: “Change Does Not Happen Due to One Person’s Actions; It Is a Collective Effort”

By Analia Coccia, DAZN DEI Manager, mum and ally

For me, allies are essential to progress. Change does not happen due to one person’s actions; it is a collective effort. We need allies who can influence decision-makers and policies, who can spread the word, and who can be activists in a cause for the common good. By generating awareness every day in every possible situation - from the Christmas table to the workplace -, allies make an impact in their communities and by extension, in the wider society.

I believe allyship starts with empathy. Listen to others to the point of feeling their struggle as if it were your own. Then it moves into compassion. Compassion is the most essential step, and it is about taking action.

"Don’t ask LGBTQ+ people to educate you, do it yourself."

I am Latinx and attended public schools from nursery to the Uni. Paulo Freire’s pedagogy somewhat influenced Latin America’s education. In High School, I have chosen Social Sciences orientation, and every day the classroom turned into an engaging debate on topics that matter. I had very good teachers. On Health Education, most of us spoke with an adult about LGBTQ+ issues for the first time. It was in that class that I thought how different it must be to navigate society as an LGBTQ+ folk.

The first piece of advice I would give on how to be a good ally is to be a life-long learner. Don’t ask LGBTQ+ people to educate you, do it yourself. Then, be humble enough to recognise when you make mistakes and apologise for them. Don’t let mistakes prevent you from continuing your journey; they are part of the process. Come to terms with the fact that you’ll never get it 100% correct.

Check who you are surrounded by. Who do you socialise with? Who are your friends? Do they all look alike? Do they have similar backgrounds? Be intentional about who you choose to befriend. Are you a parent? What school do you take your children to? Is it diverse?

If you are a parent, there’s so much you can do about the way you educate your children. You can have age-appropriate conversations with them about gender and heteronormativity and start shifting damaging narratives. It is easier when you have examples in your community, and that is why it is so important to socialisation from an early age.

My 7-year-old daughter once told me there was a girl at school who used to be a boy. That sparked a conversation on gender with her. When we go to the Pride Parade in the city, I tell her it is to celebrate people’s love and expression, and it is for that girl at school that we are there too, so she can be whoever she wants without limits and with no bullies bothering her at any point in her life. And my daughter gets it.

I am writing these words hours after hearing the news of a homophobic attack in London, and I am feeling sad and sick. I know I won’t see the end of this fight for equality and justice, but as Gloria Steinem said, “Progress lies in the direction we haven’t been”, and I am still hopeful that my children will have a less lengthy path to justice to walk than my own.