Allyship is Awkward (and Worth It)

PART 3: ATHENA ALLYSHIP BLOG SERIES

The number one hesitation men cite in Athena’s allyship cohorts? “What if I mess this up?”

Let’s normalize that. Allyship is awkward. And that’s the point.

From the Athena Allyship Committee:

• Chris shared how he accidentally hijacked an employee resource group event by trying to help without first asking what was needed. “It backfired—and I learned a lot.”

• Sean described his discomfort at being corrected for mansplaining: “At first, I wanted to defend myself. Then I realized I needed to just shut up and listen.”

• -teve admitted it took all his courage to interrupt a colleague mid-meeting who was steamrolling a woman on their team. “It was awkward. It was necessary.”

  
  

Here’s the secret: You don’t have to get it perfect. You just have to show up.

How to Recover from a Misstep

• Reflect: What did I say/do, and what impact did it have?

• Own it: Apologize briefly and clearly.

• Re-commit: Ask how you can support differently next time.

Allyship isn’t about perfection—it’s about practice. Choose to keep showing up.