Tyler James Williams’ allyship is praised by his little brother
The "Abbott Elementary" star’s younger brother Tyrel Jackson Williams shares how his big brother embraced him when he came out.
Tyler James Williams’ younger brother Tyrel Jackson is giving his big brother his flowers this Pride Month.
In a recent thread on Twitter, Tyrel opens up about how Williams reacted when he and their other younger brother first came out to Williams as gay. Tyrel said the way Williams handled their coming out “should be studied.”
“He COMPLETELY deconstructed his views on masculinity,” Tyrel wrote. “And made sure to build spaces for us to be comfortable and seen until we were ready to tell our friends/family.”
According to Tyrel, Williams sought out literature on the subject, like “We Real Cool” and “The Will To Change” by bell hooks, and went as far as to discuss the texts with his younger brothers. Williams was also a listening ear and gave advice when he could and remained “honest and empathetic” when he couldn’t.
“We all rebuilt our definition of manhood together, brick-by-brick. And it was not easy work. But we weren’t doing it alone,” Tyrel explained.
Tyrel said one of the lesser-known “joys of queerness” is the process of “complete reconstruction of one’s ego.” This process, he explained, involves stepping into the realization that part of identifying as queer is taking back control over how you exist and show up. It’s also about embracing that there aren’t predestined rules for the person you’re becoming, so you get to “create yourself.”
He said his big brother demonstrated positive and effective allyship by providing resources and then stepping back and allowing his younger brothers to engage how they saw best.
He added, “We taught each other just how big the world can be when you decide for yourself who and what you are. What is authentic to you. That is how you be a f— ally.”
He concluded his thread by saying, “So I want to give Ty his flowers this pride month. A true representation of healthy masculinity and effective allyship. Give him all of the awards forever.”
This thread comes on the heels of Williams’ own Pride Month message. As previously reported by theGrio, in a message posted to his Instagram stories, the “Abbott Elementary” star addressed speculation about his sexuality and showed his support for the LGBTQ community.
Williams wrote, “I’m not gay, but I think the culture of trying to ‘find’ some kind of hidden trait or behavior that a closed person ‘let slip’ is very dangerous.”
He continued by explaining that behavior also reinforces unhealthy standards for masculinity and that he uses his platform to push against those “archetypes.” The Golden Globe winner wished a “Happy Pride” to his “queer and questioning brothers and sisters” and expressed hope that they felt seen and heard this month.
He concluded his message, “As an ally, I continue to be committed to assisting in that where I can and helping to cultivate a future where we are all accepted and given permission to be ourselves.”
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