Pathos and the Ally Community
Allies can be described as people who are active members in support of social justice for the LGBTQ community. “Straight allies” are heterosexuals who usually maintain active participation in a cause-related group. However, allies can also be supporters of the LGBTQ cause who may not necessarily be members of an LGBTQ organization. Allies aim to use their position as heterosexuals to fight homophobia and transphobia. In a society focused on heteronormativity, Allies play an important role in gaining momentum for support of LGBTQ civil rights, gender equality, and social movements.
In interviews with members of the Ally community, we discovered that this community utilizes the rhetorical tool of pathos in ways similar to the LGBTQ community. Allies aid the LGBTQ community by building rhetorical arguments which emphasize the humanity of LGBTQ individuals. Amy Herring, an ally who works at GIFT (Gays In Faith Together) in Grand Rapids, MI, says that she uses emotional appeals in the form of story-telling. She states, “There are so many unbelievable and heart wrenching stories to be found in the LGBTQ community—these stories defy/ trump even logical appeals to justice and equality.” Through storytelling, Amy is able to effectively personalize the experiences of LGBTQ individuals to humanize the issue. Humanizing LGBTQ individuals’ experiences is an effective appeal because it can create positive associations and identification with the LGBTQ community.
In interviews with members of the Ally community, we discovered that this community utilizes the rhetorical tool of pathos in ways similar to the LGBTQ community. Allies aid the LGBTQ community by building rhetorical arguments which emphasize the humanity of LGBTQ individuals. Amy Herring, an ally who works at GIFT (Gays In Faith Together) in Grand Rapids, MI, says that she uses emotional appeals in the form of story-telling. She states, “There are so many unbelievable and heart wrenching stories to be found in the LGBTQ community—these stories defy/ trump even logical appeals to justice and equality.” Through storytelling, Amy is able to effectively personalize the experiences of LGBTQ individuals to humanize the issue. Humanizing LGBTQ individuals’ experiences is an effective appeal because it can create positive associations and identification with the LGBTQ community.
Sasha Chemey, an ally who is currently a Junior at Michigan State University and who works for the city of East Lansing, says that he also uses the rhetorical tool of pathos to build empathy in discussions surrounding the LGBTQ community. When approaching an audience who is hostile to the LGBTQ community, Sasha says, “I try to emotionally-charge the discussion by humanizing the abstract concept of a gay person in their life, perhaps as family”. Indeed, people who can identify with the LGBTQ community on a personal level are more likely to move beyond their hostilities than those who can’t.
Dylan Miller, an ally who frequents events at Michigan State University’s LGBTQ Resource center adds that emotional appeals can also be effective when engaging with those who are indifferent to the cause. “Those who are indifferent are less likely to have an emotional reason for their indifference, and so are perceived as being more easily swayed by appeals to the heart,” Dylan says. Emotional appeals which tug at a person’s heartstrings are effective because they build feelings of empathy between groups which may not have previously identified with each other.
Allies employ emotional rhetoric to bring about positive associations with LGBTQ individuals. Sasha Chemey believes that the most successful emotional argument he uses as an Ally is the power of love. "Though a trope, the power of love (or the concept thereof) is very powerful and may induce a sympathy or empathy within an opponent of equal rights. Nobody wants to be discriminated against,” Sasha says. Love is a feeling which almost everyone can identify with, and by emphasizing this commonality, people may be able to overcome their differences and move towards feelings of empathy with each other. Audiences with hostile attitudes towards the LGBTQ community can overcome their prejudices through emotional-based appeals which highlight LGTBQ individuals as human beings who desire the same rights and privileges as everyone else. By humanizing the experiences of LGBTQ individuals through discussions based on empathy and love, Allies effectively promote inclusion and empowerment of the LGBTQ community in society.
Dylan Miller, an ally who frequents events at Michigan State University’s LGBTQ Resource center adds that emotional appeals can also be effective when engaging with those who are indifferent to the cause. “Those who are indifferent are less likely to have an emotional reason for their indifference, and so are perceived as being more easily swayed by appeals to the heart,” Dylan says. Emotional appeals which tug at a person’s heartstrings are effective because they build feelings of empathy between groups which may not have previously identified with each other.
Allies employ emotional rhetoric to bring about positive associations with LGBTQ individuals. Sasha Chemey believes that the most successful emotional argument he uses as an Ally is the power of love. "Though a trope, the power of love (or the concept thereof) is very powerful and may induce a sympathy or empathy within an opponent of equal rights. Nobody wants to be discriminated against,” Sasha says. Love is a feeling which almost everyone can identify with, and by emphasizing this commonality, people may be able to overcome their differences and move towards feelings of empathy with each other. Audiences with hostile attitudes towards the LGBTQ community can overcome their prejudices through emotional-based appeals which highlight LGTBQ individuals as human beings who desire the same rights and privileges as everyone else. By humanizing the experiences of LGBTQ individuals through discussions based on empathy and love, Allies effectively promote inclusion and empowerment of the LGBTQ community in society.