Definition of Ally
(noun) An individual with a privileged status that supports efforts to eliminate the systemic oppression that grants them greater power and privilege.
Examples of Ally
- A man that supports causes addressing gendered violence such as Walk a Mile in Her Shoes.
- A heterosexual that speaks out for marriage equality for gays and lesbians.
Ally Pronunciation
Syllabification: al·ly
Audio Pronunciation
Phonetic Spelling
- American English – /A-lie/
- British English – /Al-ie/
International Phonetic Alphabet
- American English – /ˈæˌlaɪ/
- British English – /ˈalʌɪ/
Usage Notes
- Plural: allies
- Since people simultaneously inhabit various statuses they are allies in different circumstances.
- Allies challenge their own behaviors and bias while challenging others to do the same.
- A type of achieved status and individual.
Additional Information
- Sex and Gender Resources – Books, Journals, and Helpful Links
- Word origin of “ally” – Online Etymology Dictionary: etymonline.com
- Casey, Erin. 2010. “Strategies for Engaging Men as Anti-violence Allies: Implications for Ally Movements.” Advances in Social Work 11(2):267–82.
- Edwards, Keith E. 2006. “Aspiring Social Justice Ally Identity Development: A Conceptual Model.” NASPA Journal 43(4):39–60. doi:10.2202/1949-6605.1722.
- Meyers, Daniel J. 2008. “Ally Identity: The Politically Gay.” in Identity Work in Social Movements, edited by J. Reger, R. L. Einwohner, and D. J. Myers. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.
- Munin, Art, and Suzette L. Speight. 2010. “Factors Influencing the Ally Development of College Students.” Equity & Excellence in Education 43(2):249–64. doi:10.1080/10665681003704337.
- Reason, Robert Dean, Elizabeth A. Roosa Millar, and Tara C. Scales. 2005. “Toward a Model of Racial Justice Ally Development.” Journal of College Student Development 46(5):530–46. doi:10.1353/csd.2005.0054.
- Waters, Rhian. 2010. “Understanding Allyhood as a Developmental Process.” About Campus 15(5):2–8. doi:10.1002/abc.20035.
Related Terms
Works Consulted
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. 5th ed. 2011. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Collins English Dictionary: Complete and Unabridged. 6th ed. 2003. Glasgow, Scotland: Collins.
Encyclopædia Britannica. (N.d.) Britannica Digital Learning. (https://britannicalearn.com/).
Merriam-Webster. (N.d.) Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (http://www.merriam-webster.com/).
Oxford University Press. (N.d.) Oxford Dictionaries. (https://www.oxforddictionaries.com/).
Taylor & Francis. (N.d.) Routledge Handbooks Online. (https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/).
Wikipedia contributors. (N.d.) Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. (https://en.wikipedia.org/).
Wiley. (N.d.) Wiley Online Library. (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/).
Cite the Definition of Ally
ASA – American Sociological Association (5th edition)
Bell, Kenton, ed. 2013. “ally.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Retrieved May 29, 2023 (https://sociologydictionary.org/ally/).
APA – American Psychological Association (6th edition)
ally. (2013). In K. Bell (Ed.), Open education sociology dictionary. Retrieved from https://sociologydictionary.org/ally/
Chicago/Turabian: Author-Date – Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition)
Bell, Kenton, ed. 2013. “ally.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://sociologydictionary.org/ally/.
MLA – Modern Language Association (7th edition)
“ally.” Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Ed. Kenton Bell. 2013. Web. 29 May. 2023. <https://sociologydictionary.org/ally/>.