Are You A True Ally To the LGBT Community? This Scale Can Help You Find Out

New research led by Jacqueline Chen of the University of Utah helps separate the true LGBT+ allies from the posers.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | June 4, 2023

A new study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology attempts to quantify a thorny issue: what it means to be a true ally to the LGBT community.

The researchers, led by Jacqueline Chen of the University of Utah, designed an 11-question scale to measure different facets of the LGBT experience — facets that LGBT-affiliated individuals view as important when judging people's understanding and support of their cause.

Do you view yourself as an LGBT ally? Take this test to find out. Please follow all of the steps to receive your results.

Step 1: Rate the following statements based on how much you feel they reflect your thoughts and actions on a scale of never true to always true.

1. You want equal rights for everyone

2. You care that people are treated fairly

3. You are non-judgmental of others

4. You are accepting of others

5. You speak out against anti-LGBT discrimination

6. You fight for the equality of LGBT+ people

7. You vocally support the LGBT+ community

8. You seek out opportunities to learn about LGBT+ issues

9. You listen more than you speak in discussions of LGBT issues

10. You keep the focus off of yourself in discussions of LGBT issues

11. You avoid focusing group conversations about LGBT issues on your own opinions and experiences

Step 2: Enter your age, gender, region, and first name so we can provide you with a detailed report that compares your test scores to people similar to you.

What is your age?

What is your gender?

What region of the world do you live in?

What is your first name?

Step 3: Check to make sure you've provided answers to all of the statements/questions above. Once you've done that, click the button below to send your responses to Awake Therapy's Lead Psychologist, Mark Travers, Ph.D. He will provide you with an overview of how you scored relative to others (all answers are anonymized and confidential to protect users' privacy). He can also answer any follow-up questions you may have.

References: Chen, J. M., Joel, S., & Castro Lingl, D. (2023). Antecedents and consequences of LGBT individuals’ perceptions of straight allyship. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.