Kevin Manders is a trans Buddhist living in Vancouver, B.C., on the
un-ceded territory of the
Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh first nation people. He has
been on the dharma path
for the last 12 years in the Theravada tradition. He works in
social service work and is passionate
about the dharma, social justice issues, anti-racist work,
intersectionality, veganism, cycling and
music.
“Hella yes! A must-read if only because this book is the first of
its kind. If that isn’t enough, it is one of the most
important Buddhist books from those who recognize and honor
the experience of awakening through the body as a matter for true
liberation.”
—Zenju Earthlyn Manuel, author of The Way of Tenderness:
Awakening through Race, Sexuality, and Gender
“Who could we be, and what could we do, if we were never separated
from the reality of the true nature of ourselves which
includes the inherent integrity, goodness, and wholeness
within each of our unique and invaluable lives? All of these
writings are answers to that question, from communities of
intrinsically beautiful, worthy, and profound teachers and
practitioners.”
—Larry Yang, Buddhist teacher and author of Awakening
Together: The Spiritual Practice of Inclusivity and Community
“There is a luminous, vibrant, flowing, empty world beyond the
dualism that fragments reality. Contributors to this book bring a
Buddhist lens to the spectrum of sexual and gender orientations
with brilliance, creativity and great personal courage. Their
collective wisdom expands the relevance of dharma in
contemporary culture by calling forth the intrinsic openness of our
awakening hearts.”
—Tara Brach, author of Radical Acceptance, True
Refuge, and The RAIN of Compassion
“As a cis male, I devoured this book—the best dharma book
I have read in a long time. It was both a joy and a responsibility
to listen to voices often not heard. I have so been in need, been
so thirsty for these points of view, so wanting to understand more
trans experiences. Here, generously and honestly, trans folks share
their story, their wisdom, their dharma—the dharma.This gem is
full of liberating insights
on dukkha (unsatisfactoriness), anicca (impermanence),
and anattā (not-self). I believe it will make me a better
man, a better human, a better friend on the path. I am aware that I
now hold responsibility. Thank you for your wisdom, which was
painfully missing. May invisibility end here.”
—Pascal Auclair was trained by Jack Kornfield and Joseph Goldstein
to teach Insight Meditation. He has joyfully and heartfully led
silent retreats all over North America and Europe since
2006.
“What a joy to read this book! It records the journey of each of
its contributors as they bring more wisdom and truthfulness to
being the most authentic versions of themselves in the world.
Living as a trans or gender nonconforming person embodies courage,
in this culture that affirms binaries and does not see the
emptiness of the labels that are put on each of us at birth. This
book is an inspiration to those who are seeking a more authentic
way of living the dharma, a deeper commitment to
nonharming, and a dharma community that nurtures the
aspirations of all practitioners.”
—Rachel Lewis, PhD, has been teaching the dharma through
BCIMS in Vancouver, British Columbia, since 2011, including at a
prison and in the Downtown East Side. She is one of the
contributors to the anthology Still, in the City.
“This courageous and necessary anthology is an important part of
the Buddhist canon, that must no longer be in the closet. The
authors remind us of how the dharma is a nondual
teaching, and social constructs like gender are a concept and not a
life sentence. ‘The Buddha was queer, we are all queer’ is also a
bold reminder of how the seminal teachings ‘challenge the status
quo,’ that everything changes and the path is about abandoning all
labels. Like the thirteenth-century Buddhist teacher Dōgen says:
‘To study the Buddha way is to study the self. To study the self is
to let go of the self.’ Only after the authentic study of the self
can we surrender to our true essence. Enforcing binary gender onto
any society has been one of the world’s worst atrocities. It should
be considered a human rights violation. And I apologize for any
harm I have caused, and believe that this important anthology will
teach us how to live the first precept of non-harm with compassion,
wisdom, and integrity.”
—Vimalasara (Valerie) Mason-John is an award-winning author, chair
of the Vancouver Buddhist Centre, and president of the Buddhist
Recovery Network. She is a senior Order member in the Triratna
Vancouver Buddhist Centre.
“Such an important, timely book—inspiring, moving, and informative.
Those who are trans, gender fluid, or genderqueer, as well as
people of color, those living with disabilities, and people who are
otherwise marginalized, will find their experiences validated here
through the courage, vulnerability, honesty, and shared wisdom of
these stories. Those who are cisgender, white, privileged in
certain ways, will gain awareness and much deeper understanding of
the lived experiences of our trans sangha members, and
recognize the suffering caused by biases of racial, social, and
gender stereotyping. Buddhadharma teaches us to see
ourselves and others free from assumptions, fixed identities, and
social conditioning—as fluid, changing beings. Where we can hold
ways of being a self that are beautiful rather than a cause of
suffering—using identity in a way that brings connection,
community, harmony, and well-being. I hope that reading this book
will help Buddhist sanghas of all traditions provide the
safety and acceptance where all can explore the fluidity of
changing identity. Where we can allow the possibility of changing
views with tenderness and wisdom, rather than judgment.”
—Adrianne Ross, MD, has been teaching the dharma in the
Theravāda tradition for more than twenty years in the United States
and Canada. She cofounded the BC Insight Meditation Society and
contributed to The Hidden Lamp: Stories from Twenty-Five
Centuries of Awakened Women.
“This is a book of great importance. In these times of cultural and
societal shifts in consciousness all our voices need to be heard,
our identities accepted with dignity, and our stories respected.
This groundbreaking book introduces us to our family
of dharma practitioners giving voice to the essential
teachings of living dharma. The authors invite us to
shine a light for their journey on the path of the Buddha as they
pave the way forward for the inclusivity of the trans community
into the global sangha. Until all voices are heard and
seen, we will not be living in an equitable world.”
—Koshin Paley Ellison, Sensei, cofounder of the New York Zen Center
for Contemplative Care and author of Wholehearted: Slow Down,
Help Out, Wake Up
“I believe that we will never see a true
inclusive Buddhadharma until all voices of our diverse
and beautiful community are expressed. The liberatory quality
of dharma is most profoundly expressed as the union of
wisdom and compassion pulsing through our relative selves which
includes our bodies and identities. For too long we have struggled
with a white supremacist patriarchal heteronormative interpretation
of dharma that denies the importance of identity
including gender and sexuality. The voices
of Transcending embrace the beauty of the relative self
and identity as a ground from, which we began our work of
liberation. This anthology is more than a book about transgender
Buddhist practitioners sharing their lives; it is a text that will
save the lives of countless transgender and queer practitioners
who need to know that there is a place for them in this rich
tradition. Moreover, this anthology is a groundbreaking testimony
to the truth that the future of Buddhism will be queer, beautiful,
fierce, fabulous, and offer the space for all of us to show up and
be present.”
—Lama Rod Owens, coauthor of Radical Dharma
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