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Belonging to Ourselves and Each Other

By La Sarmiento — 2019

Creating spaces where the need to assimilate, conform, and belong are no longer important

Read on www.garrisoninstitute.org

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Pushing Past Tokenism

La Sarmiento has been a leader of American LGBTQ and people-of-color Buddhist communities for close to a decade. I caught up with the trans, queer Filipino teacher before a silent retreat to discuss the dynamics of race and gender in a world that is typically White, cisgender and straight.

Article
Miriam Zoila Pérez
2016
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LGBTQIA+ Affirmation and Safety: ‘Belonging, Like Air, Is a Fundamental Human Need’

Being able to safely affirm one’s gender identity and sexual orientation is crucial to mental and physical well-being. Yet many LGBTQIA+ people face enormous challenges in owning their true identities.

Article
Maria Cohut
2021
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Bruce Lee’s Philosophy on Life: 6 Simple, Transformative Words.

“Use only that which works, and take it from any place you can find it.” ~ Bruce Lee The premise of his philosophy was efficiency—complete and utter efficiency of the soul.

Article
Samuel Kronen
2017
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The Lady with a Beard: ‘If You’ve Got it, Rock it!’

At 25, Harnaam Kaur holds the world record as the youngest woman to have a full beard. For years, she was bullied. Now she’s an Instagram star.

Article
Homa Khaleeli
2016
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Alok Vaid-Menon: ‘It’s Time for a New Beauty Paradigm’

One of life’s paradoxes is that we are encouraged to “be ourselves,” but are often punished when we do.

Article
Alok Vaid-Menon
2020
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The Whiteness of ‘Coming Out’: Culture and Identity in the Disclosure Narrative

Ideas of visibility and the closet have largely been shaped by white America and the gay liberation movement of the 1970s. Refusing to subscribe to this narrative gives us space to connect with our gender, our culture and our sexuality on our own terms.

Article
Asiel Adan Sanchez
2021
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Coming Out Is Hard. SCOTUS Is Making It Harder.

But being your authentic self is now more important than ever.

Article
Zachary Zane
2019
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An Introduction to Speaking Your Truth

The idea of speaking your truth can be like venturing into a world where desires and dreams that give meaning to one’s own heartbeat instantaneously become a target for ridicule, derision, and shaming if exposed to the light of day, especially if the personal truths one espouses fall outside...

Article
FindCenter
2022
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Show Up for Yourself First

The black box is awkward at best and excruciating at worst. But it’s where change happens.

Article
Shelly Tygielski
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What’s Missing from the Authenticity Dialogue? Race.

I hear repeatedly that women, people of color, and others whose identities differ from the dominant culture, feel relentless pressure to hide aspects of their identities and conform in order to be accepted, to “fit in,” and to succeed.

Article
Ritu Bhasin
2016
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EXPLORE TOPIC

Gender Identity