Eight years ago, Ashlee Difuntorum was a first-year associate hiding her relationship with a woman, terrified at the thought of her colleagues finding out.
Motivated by that memory and her journey of self-acceptance since, Ashlee recently published a Pride Month guest column in TheWrap, sharing a poignantly raw, behind-the-scenes look at the important role allyship in the workplace has on entertainment industry professionals who happen to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community.
For this piece, “10 LGBTQ+ Hollywood Figures Sound Off on Industry Allyship,” she interviewed ten queer women and non-binary professionals across Hollywood film, music, and television, and asked a simple question: “What has allyship meant for you?”
For Tennessee Martin, writer, producer and Development Executive at Legendary Entertainment, it was a respected mentor who accepted her as a masc-presenting lesbian and told her to dress however she wanted, a friendship that lasted years.
For Quinn Kirby, Marketing Manager for Mattress Factory Contemporary Art Museum, it was when a past colleague reached out to them to to share that their child had come out as trans, and that the chance to practice pronouns with Quinn, a cissexual non-binary person, was what helped them affirm their child correctly from the very start.
“What may have seemed like a small gesture to those who organized it was incredibly meaningful to me. Their support and allyship made me feel seen, valued and welcomed exactly as I was. It reinforced that I had chosen the right place to begin my career in the entertainment industry,” shares Amber Kronquist, Former SVP of Business Affairs at Super Deluxe, remembering the joyous surprise of finding balloons and a congratulatory card signed by all her colleagues on her desk the week after she’d proposed to her girlfriend during her first year at a national law firm.
Their answers mirror Ashlee’s own. They cite brief, supportive interactions they’ve experienced over the years with industry colleagues and peers that changed everything for them. Moments that made them feel like they belonged and could be every part of themselves without fear of rejection or exclusion.
“Intentional, thoughtful allyship can make a big impact. It’s less about grand gestures and more about listening without judgment and making space for people to feel safe to be themselves,” Ashlee writes.
