Bakhtavar Desai

Equality among human kind is very important for a world that wants a just and sustainable society. When we see one another and interact with one another with love and kindness, and do not dwell negatively on our differences but positively on them, and learn how our human family is only richer and more beautiful fir all the diversity and all kinds of fellow human beings living with respect and love towards their fellow humankind, we are making our world a better and a loving, welcoming place for everyone. And that’s how I want our world to be.
I’d like to share here with you on how to be a kind and loving ally in our world.
Learning to be an ally to the transgender people in your life, or to transgender people overall, is an ongoing process. Some ways to be a good ally are simple and easy, while others require more time, energy, and commitment. Whether you’re looking for information on supporting a transgender person in your life or helping to change the world to be better for transgender people overall, and for all of us, overall, this guide can help.

The Basics: Things to Remember about Being an Ally

There is no one way to be a ‘perfect’ ally. The transgender community is diverse and complex, coming from every region of the United States and around the world, from every racial and ethnic background, and from every faith community. This means that different members of the transgender community have different needs and priorities. Similarly, there is no one right way to handle every situation, or interact with every trans person. Be respectful, do your best, and keep trying.

You don’t have to understand someone’s identity to respect it. Some people haven’t heard a lot about transgender identity, or have trouble understanding what it means to be trans, and that’s okay. But all people, even those whose identities you don’t fully understand, deserve respect.

You can’t always tell if someone is transgender simply by looking at them. Many people expect that they’ll “just know” when someone is trans, and may be surprised to learn that this isn’t always true. Since there is no one transgender experience, there is no one way for transgender people to look, either. Trans people might be in groups or gatherings alongside you without you realizing that we’re there – which makes it even more important to be an outspoken ally and supporter, whether or not you are aware of any trans people around you.

There is no “one right way” to be transgender. Some transgender people choose to medically transition, and some don’t. Some transgender people choose to legally change their names or ID documents, and some don’t. Some transgender people choose to change their appearance (like their clothing or hair), and some don’t. Likewise, some transgender people may want to do many of those things but are unable to because they can’t afford it or for safety reasons. A transgender person’s identity does not depend on what things they have or haven’t done to transition, and no two transgender people’s journeys are exactly alike.

Continue to educate yourself. One of the simplest ways to be a strong ally is to take your education into your own hands. It’s important to have conversations with the trans people in your life, but it’s also important for you to seek out resources and information on your own. A few great places to start:

Restorative Justice reduces reoffending rates by 14%. This means that it gives offenders a better chance of having a safe and prosocial life when they leave prison.

If an offender is returning to a tight-knit community and the victim lives there too, it can make their transition back into the community a lot smoother.

It also helps the offender to understand the impact of their actions. When an offender can see the real-life impact of the crime they committed, they are less likely to offend again, helping them to move on with their lives productively.

Another huge benefit of Restorative Justice for offenders is that it gives them an opportunity to explain their side of the story. For example, an offender might want to express that the crime happened as a result of an addiction issue and doesn't reflect the person that they are today.

And, when it’s appropriate, Restorative Justice gives the offender the option to make amends if they can. That could be paying for damage caused to a property, replacing stolen items, apologising, or anything in between.

There are 5 long-standing principles of Restorative Justice/restorative practice: