Why Every Movement Needs Conscientious Insiders in Order to Change the World

Any movement that doesn’t embrace, encourage, and educate their allies isn’t going to move pebbles, let alone mountains.

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A year or so ago my lover and I went to a show. It was a series of short plays on topics related to LGBTQ folks and written, directed, and performed by LGBTQ folks. I knew a few people, but not well and hadn’t made any effort to reach out ahead of the show to let them know we’d be there. We enjoyed it immensely, the talent was tremendous and we laughed, cried, and had our mindsets challenged along with everyone else. But it was clear that, as a straight couple, we were the outsiders and not entirely welcome or trusted.

Any movement is trying to create a culture shift by persuading others to change.

I’ve seen the same response to men who reach out to women’s groups, white people who reach out to black communities, and so on. They’re often called allies, I call them Conscientious Insiders.

Any movement is trying to create a culture shift by persuading others to change. Since a culture is nothing more than the prevailing mindset of any group then to shift the culture of an organization, a community, a nation, or a world we must shift the prevailing mindset. We have to change the minds of people so that the beliefs of the movement become the prevailing beliefs of the group.

That isn’t going to happen from outside. LGBTQ folks aren’t going to shift the minds of conservative Christians. Women aren’t going to shift the minds of the old boys club members. And the black community isn’t going to shift the minds of the white elite. The groups that benefit from the status quo cannot be changed from outside their group.

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Your rant might touch a heart or two. It might make someone say “hmmmm” and shift their ideas just a tad. But to create system wide change you have to make it an inside job.

When the “powers that be” use those powers for good we will begin to see a culture shift.

For instance, I have no personal power to shift the beliefs of Fraternity members. I have nothing they care about or respect. I am not a young women who can capture their heart, I am not of their ranks, I am not of their family, and I am not in a position of power to help or hurt them in their careers or aspirations. So I might rant about the banners that were hung off the balcony of the Sigma Nu fraternity at Old Dominion, but my voice means next to nothing. I might rant about the table painted with “No Lube, No Warning” but my voice means nothing there either. All I can do is share in hopes that someone with power WILL pick up my rant and turn it into a rallying cry.

But that culture will only change when enough men from inside that culture make rape jokes unacceptable. Or when potential employers take a stand and refuse to employ anyone who participates in those jokes (and not just because they fear a harassment suit either.) When the “powers that be” use those powers for good we will begin to see a culture shift.

Where do your beliefs, actions, and words have the most power? What movement do you believe in that you can be a Conscientious Insider for?

On the other hand, I do have influence with entrepreneurs. I’ve coached hundreds of them, and I’ve been one myself for more than 20 years. So when I take a stand about gender and race diversity in the work place I have power. My voice means something. I’m white, and I’m cis-gendered, and I prefer men. If I were male I’d have all the advantages. So when I stand up for marriage equality and workplace diversity I have the clout to be heard. Individual clients and groups will listen to me because I am one of them and they know I have no stake in the culture shift except my own soul-deep beliefs in what is right.

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Where do your beliefs, actions, and words have the most power? What movement do you believe in that you can be a Conscientious Insider for? And who are the Conscientious Insiders that you can embrace, encourage, and educate to help you change the world?