RESOURCES AND RECAP
Led by: HaiAn and Lauren Barkume
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Speakers: HaiAn and Lauren Barkume
LGBTQIA+ protections in the US have advanced significantly in the last 60 years. And there is more work to be done. The Trump administration has led anti-LGBTQIA policies at the federal level. Many state and local lawmakers have followed suit. There are 30 states that do not offer full legal protections for LGBTQIA+ individuals in areas such as housing, services, adoption, and serving in the military.
LGBTQIA+ people’s gender identity and sexuality exist in relation to other social issues, and LGBTQIA+ people of color, trans and non-binary individuals suffer disproportionately and systematically from poverty, unemployment, and other issues. LGBTQIA+ youth also face disproportionate rates of homelessness.
Allies of the LGBTQIA+ community have an important role to play in addressing both structural systems and at an individual level. Allies can help by educating themselves, practicing mindful listening and mindful speech.
When we listen and center LGBTQIA+ voices, then progress can be made at the various intersections between the LGBTQIA+ community and anti-black racism, policing, sex work, labor rights, immigration discrimination, and housing rights, among many other issues.
As a mindfulness practice community, we aim to support the unraveling of structures and societal conditioning that negatively impact LGBTQIA+ individuals. This can be as overt as violence against trans women of color, being denied services based on who you love, or as subtle as unmindful speech.
In this webinar, we will focus on the inequalities and injustices of bias against the LGBTQIA+ community. Lauren will share some of the US legal and social context related to the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as personal stories related to her work as an LGBTQIA+ photographer. HaiAn will reflect on life as a queer monastic.
Resources shared by Lauren
https://www.mypronouns.org/what-and-why
LGBTQ Dharma books: https://www.lionsroar.com/what-are-some-good-lgbtq-dharma-books/
ABOUT Lauren BarkumE
Lauren Barkume is a white, lesbian woman living in Capitol Heights, Maryland. Lauren is a photographer specializing in LGBTQIA+ weddings and personal branding, as well as an international development professional. Lauren spent nearly 9 years based in South Africa working to develop the businesses of artisans and entrepreneurs in the region. While in South Africa, she photographed and published several articles on the LGBTQIA+ community in Curve Magazine, LOTL, and Bound Magazine. Lauren is an activist and cares deeply about the LGBTQIA+ community. She is the advisor for the Making Visible: LGBTQIA+ series. She has been a student of mindfulness in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh since 2017.
Please register below for free and join us as we bring light to this much-needed conversation and learn about ways to transform the inequality and discrimination that is impacting us all.
ABOUT HAIAN
HaiAn received novice ordination from Venerable Master Thich Nhat Hanh in 2012 and full ordination in 2016. She was trained at Plum Village Monastery in France and Blue Cliff Monastery in New York State before leaving in 2018 to continue life as a "nun in the world." HaiAn continues to practice the precious teachings of Plum Village as she integrates them with her practice and study in the Theravada tradition, mystical Christianity, and the framework of social justice.
It is her honour and passion to support people in practical and creative ways to develop mindfulness, compassion, and joy in daily life. In another life, HaiAn received a BFA in Theater Design, taught yoga, and worked as a program director for a Unitarian Universalist congregation. Writing music, poetry, and essays brings her great joy, as does her involvement in the ARISE Sangha, dedicated to bringing racial justice to the forefront of the Plum Village community. You can read some of HaiAn’s writings here.