1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:12,360 Hey beautiful, welcome to my podcast, Queerly Having Issues. 2 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:16,560 I believe we all have our issues because we all have a story. 3 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:21,640 My name is Jafeth and it's time to tell you about mine. 4 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:24,880 Hello and welcome to another episode. 5 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:27,040 Today I want to talk about Buddhism. 6 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:31,880 Like many others, I've turned to meditation as a way to find peace of mind. 7 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:35,760 I especially want to look at the way that it's often viewed as being queer-friendly. 8 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:41,880 I mean, when I would think about Buddhism, I would think about meditation, about mindfulness 9 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:48,100 and just about treating each other kindly and having peace with one another and respecting 10 00:00:48,100 --> 00:00:51,000 each other, inclusion, you know, these sorts of things. 11 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:57,000 I was just curious to look into this subject to see if that is really the case. 12 00:00:57,000 --> 00:00:59,800 But before we get into it, I have a quick favor to ask. 13 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:04,000 If you enjoy listening to my episodes, then please take a moment to rate this podcast 14 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:06,000 five stars in your app. 15 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:10,680 It is a small action on your part, but it makes a huge difference as by doing so, you 16 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:13,840 will help me reach more people who might benefit from it. 17 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:16,400 I apologize for the delay of this episode. 18 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:21,720 I know it's been a while and I've been writing my master's thesis while working my job. 19 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:25,480 Next to that, I've also released another single called PS I Love You. 20 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:27,680 I will leave the link in the description. 21 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:31,280 It's a queer pop ballad about feelings of love and transformation. 22 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:37,080 So yeah, I've been juggling quite a lot of things, which is also why it took me a while. 23 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:39,680 However, I do appreciate you tuning in again. 24 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:42,880 So thank you for joining me again. 25 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:47,920 Before diving into the main topic, I would like to share a bit about my background and 26 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:51,280 how meditation has become part of my daily routine. 27 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:56,600 So growing up in a Christian environment, I remember how meditation was often viewed 28 00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:02,840 with suspicion, even seen as something occult, as with any practice that would stem from 29 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:05,020 another religion basically. 30 00:02:05,020 --> 00:02:10,800 But as I was dealing with life's hardships and, you know, letting go of my old beliefs 31 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:17,280 and my religious background, I began searching for ways to calm my mind and sort of give 32 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:22,520 my mind space to breathe and to heal. 33 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:28,160 And this search led me to meditation, which has since become a daily practice for me. 34 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:34,600 While you might think meditation to be a relaxing thing, in the beginning, I actually struggled 35 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:39,320 giving in because of the bias regarding meditation for my upbringing. 36 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:44,880 I still remember the stress in my neck while participating in the 21 day meditation challenge 37 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:46,720 by Oprah and Deepak Chopra. 38 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:48,640 I don't know if you've heard about it. 39 00:02:48,640 --> 00:02:52,720 Maybe you've never done any of them, but during these meditations, they introduce a 40 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:59,780 Sanskrit mantra, which has a special meaning and it's basically a sacred message or text. 41 00:02:59,780 --> 00:03:02,960 Some people might even call it a charm or a spell. 42 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:08,320 In my environment, they would often say things like, be careful of your soul, you know, like 43 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:09,600 don't lose your soul. 44 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:12,160 Like I once told my mother I was doing yoga. 45 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:14,280 She told me to be careful with my soul. 46 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:21,200 These kinds of ideas are ingrained into your mind from a young age. 47 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:24,920 And so the Sanskrit mantra is basically a spell. 48 00:03:24,920 --> 00:03:30,480 So I wasn't even allowed to watch Harry Potter, you know, talking about spells. 49 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:35,680 Besides that, it's actually quite funny that I've gotten a Sanskrit tattoo on my throat 50 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:37,640 two years ago, which I'm really happy with. 51 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:42,520 I could have never imagined that I would ever do that. 52 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:45,240 Anyway, back to these mantras. 53 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:49,160 There was something about them that triggered stress, just the thought, I guess, that I 54 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:54,680 was doing something wrong as I was thought that these things would not be good for me. 55 00:03:54,680 --> 00:04:00,120 And it's crazy how these perceived ideas impacted my body, even though I was already deconstructing, 56 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:04,400 aka leaving my old beliefs. 57 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:09,800 This is an interesting bodily aspect that I'm currently writing my thesis on, just the 58 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:14,160 bodily experience that we as queer people have while we turn away from our religious 59 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:19,920 environments and the impact that this choice has on our minds and bodies. 60 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:24,640 While I was experimenting with meditation, I've come to understand that I prefer a more 61 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:29,120 grounded approach to spirituality, just something that keeps me focused on the present moment 62 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:35,240 rather than delving into abstract concepts like spiritual entities or, you know, sometimes 63 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:38,160 there's meditations and they start talking about the third eye. 64 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:44,760 These are just things that immediately make me snap out of it and be like, what the fuck? 65 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:50,760 But if it works for you, then by all means keep doing what you're doing. 66 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:55,400 And I mean, we all have our preferences and what works for me doesn't necessarily work 67 00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:57,800 for you and the other way around. 68 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:02,520 Eventually, I found that more basic forms of meditation, such as focusing on my breath 69 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:07,320 or doing body scans, they worked for me or maybe even a loving kindness meditation, for 70 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:10,920 example, in which you send yourself an othersome love. 71 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:14,800 And I think as a Libra, I can definitely appreciate that. 72 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:19,000 Next to that, I've also read books on how there's substantial research supporting the 73 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:21,440 benefits of meditation for mental well-being. 74 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:26,760 So for me, that was a reason to continue doing it and seeing in which ways it will benefit 75 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:27,760 me. 76 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:33,760 I also remember during the process of leaving my Christian faith, I remembered that there 77 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:39,360 is a scripture in the Bible actually that says, be still and know that I am God, which 78 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:42,440 I've always interpreted as a form of meditation. 79 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:47,080 I mean, it's about being quiet, surrendering and being present in the moment basically. 80 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:51,400 And interestingly, I've noticed that more Christians are beginning to embrace meditation 81 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:58,580 as well, which is showing a shift in perspective and you know, so a shift in a trend, I guess. 82 00:05:58,580 --> 00:06:03,040 So I was actually reading an old journal of mine that I found this week and there I mentioned 83 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:06,080 how I was listening to a podcast of Oprah Winfrey. 84 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:08,280 That is something I would do a lot in the past. 85 00:06:08,280 --> 00:06:10,400 For some reason, I've stopped doing that. 86 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:17,400 I guess I'm less searching for answers and I've just sort of come to this point in my 87 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:21,600 life where I embrace life just the way it is. 88 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:24,800 But she mentioned, if you don't know what to do, get still. 89 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:29,440 I had all these questions in my mind, all these questions without answers, and I was 90 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:32,000 dealing with a lot of stuff in my mind. 91 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:34,640 And then I was like, okay, if you don't know what to do, get still, just shut the fuck 92 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:36,760 up and be quiet, basically. 93 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:40,920 That's what I'm trying to do, I guess, you know, and it's also like meditation because 94 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:46,480 it always gives me sort of a good insight into my brain, like to see what thoughts are 95 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:53,640 present, if they are positive or negative, and just to be aware of them and know what's 96 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:55,040 going on. 97 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:59,360 I think that coming from a very conservative Christian background, there was a lot of noise 98 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:05,160 in my mind, and especially now that I was choosing a completely different path in life. 99 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:08,720 So I was always looking for answers and trying to find my own truth. 100 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:15,180 And I think partly because I was taught that we had the truth with a capital T, it didn't 101 00:07:15,180 --> 00:07:18,240 come easy for my mind to just rest and let things be. 102 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:21,880 Because what if I would miss out on the real truth and be lost forever, you know, like 103 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:24,200 I grew up with the idea of going to hell. 104 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:29,320 So meditation has become a way for me to grab my brain some rest and connect with the still 105 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:31,080 ness inside myself. 106 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:35,920 And it took me a while, but I am really appreciating this practice now. 107 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:41,360 I started meditating when I began experiencing symptoms of complex speech as the so I spoke 108 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:45,380 about this on my first episode called religious trauma in a nutshell. 109 00:07:45,380 --> 00:07:47,200 And I'll leave the link in the description. 110 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:52,360 I explained in that episode that the symptoms come from the constant messaging that being 111 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:55,600 gay meant I was condemned to hell and would never be accepted. 112 00:07:55,600 --> 00:08:00,000 And hearing this repeatedly and internalizing it over many years have led to feelings of 113 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:01,920 anxiety and restlessness. 114 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:06,440 So when you're dealing with these kinds of symptoms, you're naturally searching for ways 115 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:08,760 to calm your nervous system and find peace. 116 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:10,480 At least that's what I did. 117 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:13,480 And that's how I stumbled upon meditation. 118 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:17,360 And while it took me some time to discover what worked for me, I eventually found that 119 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:23,280 a more grounded, mindful approach to meditation was incredibly valuable in my healing process. 120 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:27,200 And you know, sometimes the practice works better than others, because I do remember 121 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:32,920 that once I meditated and then I went to work and I was walking out of the train station 122 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:39,240 and a woman rang her bike bell while riding behind me on the sidewalk and I was like, 123 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:44,160 somehow I was triggered and I we got into an argument and I think it was even yelling. 124 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:47,280 So it was like, so much for meditation. 125 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:50,120 Or maybe it would have gotten worse if I hadn't meditated. 126 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:51,120 I don't know. 127 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:53,600 But anyway, it's not a quick fix to anything. 128 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:57,720 It's just, I think more about being aware of what's going on and to just calm down 129 00:08:57,720 --> 00:08:59,280 the nervous system. 130 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:06,140 So this exploration of meditation and spirituality led me to question the Western view of Buddhism 131 00:09:06,140 --> 00:09:08,880 as being naturally queer friendly. 132 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:13,160 And I wanted to explore the reality behind this perception, especially considering how 133 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:18,840 Buddhism is often portrayed as a philosophy focused on peace, mindfulness and personal 134 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:25,160 well-being. 135 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:31,040 In my master's program, I was following a course in engaged Buddhism by Jens Reinke 136 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:38,760 and I had to write a paper and most of the times I try to include topics that are personally 137 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:42,100 valuable to myself that I can learn something from. 138 00:09:42,100 --> 00:09:49,600 So I was like, oh, okay, is Buddhism inherently queer friendly because that is sort of the 139 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:53,320 idea that we are getting here. 140 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:55,720 So I was like, yeah, let's explore this topic. 141 00:09:55,720 --> 00:10:01,200 And I just want to make clear that I'm not a specialist on Buddhism and queer issues 142 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:03,640 within this religious context. 143 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:07,620 And what I share here comes from my own experiences, observations and research. 144 00:10:07,620 --> 00:10:10,240 So I'm still learning and growing in my understanding. 145 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:15,240 So please take my thoughts as part of an ongoing journey rather than definite answers. 146 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:20,120 And if you have insights or corrections, like I'm always open to learning more. 147 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:22,180 So please let me know. 148 00:10:22,180 --> 00:10:26,040 So for this episode, I want to talk about Buddhism and how it's often presented as 149 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:30,100 queer friendly, particularly in the West. 150 00:10:30,100 --> 00:10:33,640 So I was like, let's Google Buddhism and see what pops up. 151 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:40,360 I saw many articles on how people view Buddhism more as a philosophy than as a religion. 152 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:45,760 And it's quite common to see people referring to Buddhism as just a way of life or a philosophical 153 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:49,240 system, even though it's fundamentally a religion. 154 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:53,380 And then when I'm talking about the so-called West, I'm talking about regions such as the 155 00:10:53,380 --> 00:10:58,400 European Union, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. 156 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:03,360 People in these countries often seem to think of Buddhism as being mostly about meditation, 157 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:06,160 mindfulness, and finding personal peace. 158 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:11,800 And I think that this has contributed to a more modern, individual focused perspective 159 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:14,880 that has become quite trendy in these places. 160 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:21,800 I think that Buddhism has been molded to fit into our individualistic societies. 161 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:27,240 To me that makes sense, especially when you consider influential figures like Oprah Winfrey, 162 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:32,280 who in an interview she did with Thich Nhat Hanh, I hope I'm pronouncing it correctly. 163 00:11:32,280 --> 00:11:34,160 She was a famous Buddhist monk. 164 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:41,040 Within this interview, Oprah, she portrayed Buddhism as being primarily focused on meditation, 165 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:43,600 chanting, and seeking inner peace. 166 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:48,520 And I have to admit that when I first began exploring Buddhism, I sort of had the same 167 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:49,520 idea. 168 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:55,280 And the reason why I call it the so-called West is because I recently discovered that 169 00:11:55,280 --> 00:12:00,240 if you look at the world from the perspective of an Asian map, where Asia is at the center, 170 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:02,360 what we call the West isn't viewed the same way. 171 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:07,440 So on their maps, the West usually refers to Europe while the Americas are shown far 172 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:09,080 to the east across the Pacific. 173 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:14,240 So I thought that was very interesting and actually makes a lot of sense as well. 174 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:20,840 When I'm talking about the Western perspective, I'm talking about the approach that emphasizes 175 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:25,720 practices like meditation and mindfulness, and which often portrays Buddhism as supportive 176 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:28,260 of diverse identities. 177 00:12:28,260 --> 00:12:33,240 As a newcomer to Buddhism, I also assumed that it was inherently queer-friendly, largely 178 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:36,880 because of its associations with meditation and mindfulness. 179 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:40,560 So yeah, I have never really stopped and considered the actual opinion that Buddhists have on 180 00:12:40,560 --> 00:12:41,560 queer people. 181 00:12:41,560 --> 00:12:46,040 And I think as a queer person, it's sort of important to have a little bit of knowledge 182 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:51,660 about that, even though Buddhism, of course, is a very broad religion, just as any other 183 00:12:51,660 --> 00:12:52,920 of the main religions. 184 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:57,160 So there was this idea in my mind that Buddhism was all about peace, mindfulness, and just 185 00:12:57,160 --> 00:12:59,720 minding your own business. 186 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:04,240 There is also research that shows Buddhism to be one of the most accepting religions 187 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:06,320 when it comes to the queer community. 188 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:11,880 For example, there was a study that was published in the Journal of Homosexuality, and it compared 189 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:17,000 79 countries and found Buddhism to be the most gay-friendly religion. 190 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:23,520 However, this conclusion is based on comparisons between countries, so it's not a study on 191 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:27,200 how individuals treat queer people in these countries. 192 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:32,240 So far no research has looked closely at how religious teachings affect people's attitudes 193 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:38,040 in different parts of the world, so more research is needed to understand this better. 194 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:43,600 Curious to see how Buddhism is viewed in relation to queer people, I did some research while 195 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:48,200 basically I started with a simple Google search like, does Buddhism support queer people, 196 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:52,400 or is Buddhism queer-friendly, just questions like that. 197 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:56,280 And many responses were straightforward, saying yes, your sexual orientation doesn't 198 00:13:56,280 --> 00:14:02,280 matter in Buddhism, or yes, you can practice Buddhism freely regardless of your identity. 199 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:06,120 There's also a comment that said that most Buddhists see nothing wrong with being queer, 200 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:11,560 although some might reject any form of sensual desire if it hinders enlightenment. 201 00:14:11,560 --> 00:14:15,440 And then there was another one that said Buddhists don't care about your private life as long 202 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:17,180 as you are not harming others. 203 00:14:17,180 --> 00:14:19,360 Just being human is enough. 204 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:22,760 So yeah, these sort of corresponded with the idea that I have had. 205 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:27,920 While I was looking into this topic, I also came across articles about Thailand, which 206 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:33,920 is often thought of as a queer-friendly destination, or it is even called a queer paradise. 207 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:40,000 And the articles that I've read exposed a more complex reality for queer people who 208 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:43,360 actually live and work in Thailand. 209 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:48,440 So these tourism agencies are advertising Thailand as a great place for queer travelers, 210 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:53,560 but then at the same time, there are local activists who say that this image hides the 211 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:55,080 real problems. 212 00:14:55,080 --> 00:15:00,680 And according to the Bangkok Post, Thailand appears to be tolerant, while queer people 213 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:02,480 face many challenges. 214 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:08,120 There was another article in a Dutch newspaper called De Volkskant, and this article questioned 215 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:13,520 whether the friendliness towards queer travelers is actually genuine. 216 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:19,200 Basically, these tourism campaigns aim to attract visitors who care about diversity, 217 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:23,680 but it is unclear if local queer people have the same positive experiences as tourists 218 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:29,720 have. 219 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:36,720 So then I found a Thailand country report, and it pointed out that talking about sexuality 220 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:42,880 is still a taboo in Thai society, and schools don't provide enough sex education. 221 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:47,880 According to this report, Thailand is modernizing, but that is happening within traditional systems 222 00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:52,960 that are hard to change, and because of this, it's difficult for younger people to adjust, 223 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:57,760 and especially when older generations hold on to old beliefs. 224 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:03,600 So these articles show that queer people seem to often face negative views from society, 225 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:08,680 and they are seen as strange or abnormal because of their sexual preference, gender identity, 226 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:14,760 or appearance, when this doesn't fit traditional gender and sexual norms. 227 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:19,180 And there was another article discussing harmful phrases in the media, and this article highlights 228 00:16:19,180 --> 00:16:24,840 how the media misrepresents queer people, which leads to unfair treatment and discrimination. 229 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:30,540 This discrimination, whether it's open or hidden, it causes human rights violations. 230 00:16:30,540 --> 00:16:34,760 So there seem to be barriers that create an environment where the rights of queer people 231 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:36,760 are not fully protected. 232 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:43,320 The same article also mentions how queer people in Thailand often face worse health conditions. 233 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:49,720 It mentions there are higher rates of HIV, depression, suicide, and economic insecurity 234 00:16:49,720 --> 00:16:52,680 compared to straight and cisgender people. 235 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:58,820 There was another article that was about queer rights in Thailand, and it mentioned how many 236 00:16:58,820 --> 00:17:04,760 studies agree that these health problems are mainly caused by discrimination, social exclusion, 237 00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:07,960 and stigma faced by the queer community. 238 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:14,040 And the last report that I read was a report by the United Nations Development Program, 239 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:19,800 and it showed that queer people face many challenges in protecting their human rights. 240 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:26,440 The UNDP stated that while there is some appearance of acceptance for queer people in Thai society, 241 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:32,760 many still face a lot of discrimination, whether that be in their family, in their education, 242 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:37,760 in the media, there's discrimination in economic and religious structures. 243 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:40,680 So there is a lot of discrimination going on. 244 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:46,000 So there seems to be a great contrast between how Thailand is portrayed globally as a haven 245 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:51,720 for queer tourism and the actual acceptance of queer people within Thailand itself and 246 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:59,360 their lived realities. 247 00:17:59,360 --> 00:18:02,660 So now let's look at the main religion in Thailand. 248 00:18:02,660 --> 00:18:08,400 This is a country where Theravada Buddhism is deeply ingrained in tradition, with about 249 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:11,480 95% of the population practicing it. 250 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:14,120 So that is a large number. 251 00:18:14,120 --> 00:18:17,920 And Theravada Buddhism is one of the main branches of Buddhism. 252 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:23,120 It's also one of the oldest and most traditional forms of Buddhism, and often it is referred 253 00:18:23,120 --> 00:18:26,720 to as the teaching of the elders. 254 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:32,640 The bedrock of Theravada Buddhism in Thailand, similar to many religious traditions globally, 255 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:35,520 rests on foundational texts guiding its followers. 256 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:41,320 So although these scriptures may not directly touch upon modern queer identities, they do 257 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:46,200 shape views on sexuality and gender through interpretations of core principles such as 258 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:48,840 karma and rebirth. 259 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:53,880 Some interpretations, for example, suggest that one's gender and sexual orientation 260 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:59,020 in this life might be a result of past karmic actions. 261 00:18:59,020 --> 00:19:03,480 Such interpretations can influence societal perspectives on these individuals. 262 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:09,880 So sometimes people look upon these queer people sort of with pity, you know, like, 263 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:11,680 oh, sucks to be them. 264 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:14,960 They cannot really do anything about it because in their previous life they have done something 265 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:16,120 wrong. 266 00:19:16,120 --> 00:19:21,640 While traditional interpretations within Theravada Buddhism may predominantly lean towards heteronormative 267 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:27,160 perspectives, contemporary perspectives within Thailand are experiencing transformation as 268 00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:33,280 well, so there are some contemporary Buddhist scholars and practitioners who advocate for 269 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:38,600 interpretations that emphasize compassion, acceptance, and recognition of the intrinsic 270 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:44,000 worth of every individual, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. 271 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:50,320 Historically, however, Buddhism has been primarily focused on encouraging people to become celibate 272 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:55,520 and give up what texts refer to as the village practice of sexual intercourse. 273 00:19:55,520 --> 00:20:02,320 So there wasn't any interest in concerns that are now known as queer issues. 274 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:07,560 However, diverse gender and sexual expressions have always existed in Thailand, so there's 275 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:12,160 a term that they use, Kathoey, I'm not sure if I'm pronouncing it correctly, but they 276 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:16,440 use this term for the third gender that has been a part of their history, which has been 277 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:22,280 available to both males and females alongside traditional masculine and feminine identities. 278 00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:27,880 I will use the term queer, even though it's also good to explain that it will be difficult 279 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:31,840 to translate Kathoey with a single word. 280 00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:36,600 This is because this term overlaps with many different English terms without corresponding 281 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:42,200 exactly to any of them, as this term is specific to Thailand, particularly when mentioning 282 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:47,680 individuals who identify as a third gender or have a gender identity that does not conform 283 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:51,240 to the binary male-female system. 284 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:57,080 Even Buddhist texts like the Jataka Tales and the Vinaya Rules address behaviors that 285 00:20:57,080 --> 00:20:59,560 deviate from traditional norms. 286 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:06,760 The Vinaya, which sets rules for monks, mentions the term Pandaka, which some scholars believe 287 00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:12,780 might refer to a queer person, but these texts mainly emphasize celibacy for monks rather 288 00:21:12,780 --> 00:21:15,920 than directly addressing queer issues. 289 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:21,680 So the term I've mentioned before, Kathoey, which is mostly associated with transgender 290 00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:26,560 women, so when you Google this term, that becomes very obvious because it's only images 291 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:27,560 of trans women. 292 00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:34,000 However, I did read that its meaning can be broader and more complex within Thai society, 293 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:39,360 so in the big cities it's often used to refer to transsexual women, but then in other areas 294 00:21:39,360 --> 00:21:45,680 it might be used as a disrespectful term for gay people, much like how the word queer has 295 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:48,100 been reclaimed in our society. 296 00:21:48,100 --> 00:21:53,200 Some people in the queer community in Thailand have also started to reclaim Kathoey as their 297 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:54,820 own. 298 00:21:54,820 --> 00:21:59,720 So it's obvious that Theravada Buddhism is influential in shaping societal views in Thailand 299 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:05,560 with so many practitioners, and so it impacts how people think about love and identity. 300 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:10,240 According to the United Nations report, many people in Thailand view non-normative sexual 301 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:15,640 orientations or gender identities as a result of bad karma from past lives and as an inner 302 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:18,680 ability to control one's desires. 303 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:24,280 So I think most of us are familiar with the term karma, and also in Theravada Buddhism, 304 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:28,920 karma reverts to the moral law of cause and effect, where one's actions in past lives 305 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:32,360 influence their present and future experiences. 306 00:22:32,360 --> 00:22:37,680 This belief can extend to the way people perceive non-normative sexual orientations and gender 307 00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:39,320 identities. 308 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:44,700 Some traditional interpretations suggest that being born as a queer person could be the 309 00:22:44,700 --> 00:22:47,680 result of bad karma from previous lives. 310 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:54,520 So the idea is that actions from past existences, particularly those seen as ethically questionable 311 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:59,800 or sinful like cheating on someone, may lead to rebirth in a less favorable condition, 312 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:02,380 which in this context is being queer. 313 00:23:02,380 --> 00:23:06,880 This misinterpretation though contributes to a narrative that pains queer people as 314 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:12,920 irresponsible while leading to stigma and discrimination in various areas of life, including 315 00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:16,160 employment, healthcare, and community acceptance. 316 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:21,400 Then there's also the five precepts that are fundamental ethical guidelines in Buddhism 317 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:25,080 that encourages individuals to live morally and mindfully. 318 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:29,600 One of these five is the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct. 319 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:36,200 This is one that is often used to argue that queer relationships are immoral and promiscuous. 320 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:40,640 Critics may claim that these relationships threaten social norms and the institution 321 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:46,540 of marriage, by doing so they are reinforcing harmful stereotypes about queer individuals. 322 00:23:46,540 --> 00:23:51,680 We can hopefully all understand how such views not only cause shame, but also create barriers 323 00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:56,360 for queer individuals who are seeking validation and support for their identities. 324 00:23:56,360 --> 00:24:01,920 And this misunderstanding leads to less acceptance in society and encourages intolerance, as 325 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:06,520 I'm sure we all know too well within the context of our own lives. 326 00:24:06,520 --> 00:24:11,480 So in Thailand today, some people accept the queer community because of their Buddhist 327 00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:13,520 beliefs while others do not. 328 00:24:13,520 --> 00:24:18,280 For example, some famous Buddhist figures have spoken against the queer community and 329 00:24:18,280 --> 00:24:23,920 often there are debates taking place on social media, especially when it comes to gay monks. 330 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:28,760 I also read an article about how some people see transgender individuals in Thailand as 331 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:30,680 a threat to society. 332 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:35,880 It mentioned how some politicians blame the country's lower birth rate on the rise of 333 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:40,840 transgender people and they argue that this harms the country's culture and identity 334 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:45,520 and could make it harder for Thailand to continue as a society. 335 00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:47,760 I actually thought that was a little bit funny. 336 00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:53,680 I was like, seriously, even though of course it's sad, especially because transgender 337 00:24:53,680 --> 00:24:56,640 people in Thailand are very visible. 338 00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:02,680 So they're both very visible, but also marginalized at the same time. 339 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:06,720 Like in the media, they're often shown in stereotypical ways, which sort of creates 340 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:10,960 a paradox where they are both celebrated and stigmatized. 341 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:15,840 So even though they are visible, they still face serious challenges such as discrimination 342 00:25:15,840 --> 00:25:21,680 and difficulty accessing healthcare and lack of acceptance from their families and communities. 343 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:28,360 I realized that this topic is quite complex and hard to comprehend and even for me, like 344 00:25:28,360 --> 00:25:33,760 I wrote a paper on this topic and I had some time to dive into it, but of course my time 345 00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:34,760 was limited. 346 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:38,920 You know, there's so many more articles to read and things to hear. 347 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:43,560 I do think that this information is clearly showing how there is a big difference between 348 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:50,640 how the world sees Thailand as a progressive queer-friendly place and the more complex, 349 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:53,960 often unjust reality that queer people face there. 350 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:58,800 While at the same time, it is also giving us some insight into the role of Buddhism, 351 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:04,280 Theravada Buddhism in this case, in shaping attitudes towards queer identities. 352 00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:08,840 So yeah, there's a lot of traditional views that have often supported conservative beliefs 353 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:12,960 and pushed queer people to the side, but then at the same time, there's also a growing movement 354 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:17,920 that aims for more inclusive and compassionate perspectives, which seems to be more fitting 355 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:23,280 to how I would view Buddhism before diving into this topic. 356 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:28,000 I don't know if you've seen it, probably you have, but there have been efforts to legalize 357 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:33,760 same-sex unions in Thailand and they have faced a lot of opposition, clearly showing 358 00:26:33,760 --> 00:26:37,200 the clash between old traditions and new ideas. 359 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:44,440 But the good news is that the law allowing same-sex marriage started this January 2025, 360 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:48,360 so that makes Thailand the third country in Asia to allow same-sex marriage. 361 00:26:48,360 --> 00:26:55,960 So it's progress and it's just a shame that sometimes it has to take so fucking long. 362 00:26:55,960 --> 00:27:02,120 So again, Thailand's reputation as a progressive place for queer people is not entirely unfounded, 363 00:27:02,120 --> 00:27:08,280 but it is important to understand the underlying complexities and challenges that still exist. 364 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:14,140 So with this episode, I am hoping to create some awareness on the widespread influence 365 00:27:14,140 --> 00:27:19,400 of Buddhism and the lived experience of queer individuals who actually live in a Buddhist 366 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:20,400 country. 367 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:25,320 And I know this was just Thailand and Theravada Buddhism, and there's so many different countries 368 00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:27,900 and different forms of Buddhism that exist. 369 00:27:27,900 --> 00:27:32,360 So I'm aware that there is need for further exploration. 370 00:27:32,360 --> 00:27:37,760 Also what I've noticed while reading literature on this topic is that there are certain segments 371 00:27:37,760 --> 00:27:43,800 of the queer community, such as lesbian women or people who identify as bisexual or transgender 372 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:47,840 men, they were missing in the existing literature. 373 00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:52,400 I do hope though that I have been able to eliminate the oversimplified perception of 374 00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:56,040 Buddhism as merely a trendy philosophy. 375 00:27:56,040 --> 00:28:00,560 I think sometimes it's very easy to take something from another culture and make it your own 376 00:28:00,560 --> 00:28:04,960 without being aware of the actual lived experiences of the people we took it from. 377 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:11,240 And I think, especially as queer people, it's sort of good to know the history and the actual 378 00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:16,440 lived experiences of our fellow queer human beings. 379 00:28:16,440 --> 00:28:23,220 I do want to end this episode though by mentioning that turning to spirituality can be very beneficial 380 00:28:23,220 --> 00:28:28,920 for us queer people, as many of us have faced hardships and there is actually research that 381 00:28:28,920 --> 00:28:33,240 shows that this could offer a sense of release, balance and some peace of mind. 382 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:39,560 I know for me, meditation has definitely helped me feel more calm and more focused and more 383 00:28:39,560 --> 00:28:45,080 grounded, even though I don't really consider myself to be spiritual or religious. 384 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:50,240 While many practices are rooted in a specific tradition, I think we can still find personal 385 00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:54,880 healing and peace through them without necessarily identifying with a particular belief system 386 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:58,800 as long as we are respectful in doing so. 387 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:01,560 So I would say, keep doing what works for you. 388 00:29:01,560 --> 00:29:09,080 Thank you for joining me on this short exploration and I hope you enjoyed this episode. 389 00:29:09,080 --> 00:29:13,800 You can also leave a comment here on Spotify if you want, as I would love to hear your 390 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:15,760 thoughts on today's topic. 391 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:21,000 You can also reach me on Instagram at QueerlyHavingIssues. 392 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:41,400 Until next time, take care.