On Rainbow Sangha - Guest: Michael Vermeulen

The Dharma is not male or female, not straight or gay, not cis or trans, but it is definitely queer! We spoke with our guest Dr. Michael Vermeulen about Rainbow Sangha, the acronyms LGBTQI+ and about Rainbow Sangha and it´s importance for Buddhism. What is meant by identify? We think of ourselves often in specific categories but what is meant when we talk about identify and how does a healthy approach on that looks like that is vulnerable, open and in touch with the environment? Given many lectures and articles on that topic Michael Vermeulen was a wonderful guest to explore these important topics with us. He was the Representative of the European Buddhist Union (EBU) to the European Union from 2011 to 2015 and studied Philosophy, Medicine and Theology & Religious Studies. 

Rainbow Sangha: connecting LGBTQI+ Buddhists, including friends and allies. We aim to end the isolation of LGBTQI+ people by making queer Buddhists more visible within their communities, within society and within history. We want to give a voice to queer Buddhism, identify safe spaces and provide resources for them. We also support engaged Buddhist actions motivated by values such as non-discrimination and human rights.

Michael Vermeulen (mmdv68-ebu@yahoo.co.uk)

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