This study investigates the relationship between perceptions of racial allyship messages among Black and Latine individuals and impacts on emotional well-being, identity safety, and perceived support. Racial allies (i.e., White individuals who support disadvantaged groups) sometimes engage in performative allyship—actions motivated by personal gain rather than genuine support for equality. Witnessing performative allyship can have negative consequences for minoritized individuals by cueing identity threat, negative emotions, and damaging perceptions of support. However, it is unknown which specific allyship behaviors are perceived as performative or genuine and their positive or negative implications. To address this gap, we ask: What allyship messages do people of color (i.e., Black and Latine individuals) perceive as genuine or performative, and how does this relate to their emotions, identity safety, and support? We hypothesize that (1) participants will differentiate genuine and performative allyship messages, (2) performative messages will result in negative emotions, lower perceptions of support, and reduced identity safety, whereas (3) genuine messages will result in positive emotions, stronger perceived support, and identity safety. Our findings will help White allies better support minoritized groups by knowing which allyship messages help fight for social justice and promote a supportive environment where minoritized groups can thrive.
