A collection of teachings, profiles, and discussions about diversity in Buddhism. Featuring angel Kyodo williams, Funie Hsu, Roshi Pat Enkyo O'Hara, Arunlikhati, Gina Sharpe, Greg Snyder, Justin Simien, George Takei, Alice Walker, Lama Rod Owens, and more. Diversity is increasingly discussed in Western Buddhism today, and with good reason. Supporting diversity serves three [...]
Does my transgender identity conflict with Buddhism’s teachings on no-self?
Q: I was born male, but after many years of confusion, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m actually a transgender woman and I’m now seeking sex-reassignment surgery. As a Buddhist, I feel conflicted by the teachings on no-self and this unshakable feeling that there is a deep, hidden truth about me that I need to express. Am I wrong to embrace this sense of true self? Sallie [...]
See Us Clearly: A Buddhist’s View of Transgender Visibility
Ray Buckner offers a personal view of what it means to be Buddhist, gender-queer, and trans — and why they all fit together like "a miracle." I identify as gender-queer and trans, and also as Buddhist, and — though it might be surprising to some — it seems to me a miracle how these two ways of being fit together. As Buddhists, we recognize that we suffer very much. Just [...]
“Facing Death Is a Device for Tenderizing Hearts”
Twenty-two years ago, Pascal Auclair had to come to terms with his own mortality. Now, as a Buddhist meditation teacher, he’s helping others do it. Profile by Lindsay Kyte. It was 1995 and Pascal Auclair was a handsome 25-year-old actor in Montreal. His life changed, though, when his doctor uttered the words, “You are HIV positive.” “It was as if the building had [...]
My Body, My Life
How mindfulness has helped Buddhist teacher Lama Rod Owens live as a Black queer man in America. For me, practicing mindfulness is about showing up in the best way possible in my body and in my life. As an authorized lama in the Tibetan tradition of Buddhism, I am trained in Mahamudra, a system of meditation and philosophy that is concerned with revealing the true [...]
You and Me — It’s All One Thing
Confusion around questions of identity, sexuality, and gender may seem acute and, to some of us, new, today. But James Ishmael Ford finds that an ancient Zen story's wisdom speaks quite well to that confusion. I have two dear friends who married, and then had a child, a lovely boy. They gave him my name for a middle name, so, I was particularly happy on top of the happy [...]
Is My Sangha Inclusive?
When reverend Kiyonobu Joshin Kuwahara asked himself that question, he wasn’t sure of the answer. So he decided to find out. One of the most memorable events of my life was attending the Buddhist Teachers’ Council at the Garrison Institute in New York during the summer of 2011. I am deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to meet so many inspiring teachers from different [...]
Countering Oppression by Cultivating Peace
What started as a mindful walk became a personal "disturbance of the peace." Ray Buckner on how taking a moment to pause can transform an unsettling situation into a chance to break down barriers. I had Pema Chödrön’s Practicing Peace in my pocket when I was stopped by a police officer. I was out on a mindful walk in a suburb of Dallas, Texas, while visiting my friend [...]
Not Content to Sit Quietly: The Meaning & Making of Against the Stream’s 2017 “Commitment Statement”
Though unusually bold, this Buddhist community's new statement is presented as congruent with the Buddha’s teachings. On February 14, the Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society found itself with a bit of a viral hit -- in Buddhist circles, at least. Just released, ATS's "Statement of Commitment" quickly gained shares, "likes," and critiques as the sangha's members [...]
How does Buddhism view LGBTQ people?
As a gay man, I’d like to know how Buddhism views LGBTQ people. I’m not interested in joining any religion that disapproves of who I am. One of the (many) differences between Buddhism and other religions is how little emphasis it places on sexuality as a moral issue. While other religions place rules about sexual behavior, marriage, and sexual orientation at the center of [...]