From the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Committee
/We would like to recognize and celebrate our diverse community. This diversity brings a depth of experiences and perspectives to our sangha that benefit us all.
Today, we specifically recognize and celebrate that our sangha includes members of the Trans* community and that their ability to thrive within Mountain Rain is deeply important to us as a sangha. In order to help ensure everyone’s comfort, safety, and learning journeys, we would like to share two resources on Trans* Equity with you. These resources offer some education and guidance that can help us all improve our trans* competence.
This first resource, Developing Trans* Competence: A guide for Meditation and Retreat Centres, was created by Transgender Buddhist folks and some committed allies from across the USA. We highly recommend that all sangha members read this resource, and believe it is essential reading for practice leaders. The following quote captures why the document was created:
““As Buddhists, when we practice kind awareness, ormindfulness, we practice being intimate with what we encounter in each moment, on both the internal and interpersonal levels. In order to fully do this in an organized practice setting, one must feel safe and at ease and be able to be vulnerable. To create these conditions, sanghas must actively work to undo subtle and explicit oppression. Developing Trans*Competence is a tool to be used to make Buddhist spaces safer, more just, and more accessible to trans* practitioners.” ”
Another resource that we recommend reading is Supporting the transgender people in your life: A guide to being a good ally, which was written by the organisation Advocates for Trans Equality. This guide outlines some basic communication tools and offers ways to become a trans ally.
We hope you all find these resources useful. We are sharing them in the spirit of knowing that we won’t do things perfectly, but we can try our best and in doing so can create more kindness and respect within our Sangha.
Warm bows,
DEIA Committee
