This week’s affirmation, I Live My Truth, is inspired by definitions of the word ‘queer’ in The A-Z of Gender and Sexuality. Jump straight to my meditation using this affirmation.
In its simplest form, you could say Queer Yoga is aimed at the LGBTQIA+ community – people who identify as lesbian, gay, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, plus.
Queer Yoga classes often focus on LGBTQIA+ themes. It’s a space to:
- explore your identity
- find belonging in your own skin
- find community
- understand yourself better
- and understand others.
But the word ‘queer’ takes some unpacking. Not all LGBT+ people identify as queer, and not everyone in our community is comfortable with the word queer because it was originally used as a slur.
The community has reclaimed this word, and for many people it’s an empowering umbrella term, which can encompass gender identity and sexuality.
There are many different contexts where you might come across the word ‘queer’ these days, like the term Queer Theory, or the name of the museum in London, Queer Britain. The definition of the word ‘queer’ spans four pages in The A-Z of Gender and Sexuality:
“Queer can be someone whose gender identity is externally politicized.” (p208)
The A-Z of Gender and Sexuality by Morgan Lev Edward Holleb
“Queer can mean subversive, Other.” (p209)
“Queer is a practice more than it is an identity.” (p210)
And queer as a verb: “Part of queering is to recognize that there is not a simple truth, not a single way of being, and not an essence to be understood.” (p211)
My own understanding of Queer Yoga has evolved through the process of teaching Queer Yoga classes. There was no manual or handbook. It wasn’t like when I studied Yin Yoga and then taught Yin Yoga classes, and could look back at the textbooks and course notes. Much of my understanding of Queer Yoga grew out of the communities themselves, which feels kind of queer in itself!
I understand Queer Yoga to be both subversive of the values of the yoga industry and also very traditionally yogic. That is to say, the yoga industry in the West at its worst contributes to fatphobia, ableism, racism, and restrictive gender norms. Of course, there are plenty of yoga teachers doing wonderful things, and everyone including myself is on a learning journey to understand others’ perspectives. But overall as an industry, there is often a failure to consider who is not in the room.
However, the tools of yoga and yoga philosophy, as originated in ancient India, can be read as very queer. Yoga is a practice of self-study, of turning towards ourselves to understand ourselves better. This speaks to me of living authentically.
There is plenty of overlap between queerness and yoga. It’s just a question of where you choose to place your focus.
We live in a society where yoga has become synonymous with physical movement, Asana, although there is much more to yoga than this, such as meditation, mindfulness, breathwork. Focusing on only the Asana is missing out on the richness of yoga, as guidelines for living well.
By putting so much emphasis on the Asana, there are too many people who end up feeling that yoga isn’t for them. But in truth, the practice of yoga is so varied that there is almost certainly a route into yoga for everyone. Even the physical component can also be accessible for everyone, whether you’re practising on a mat, a chair, or lying down.
The more I teach Queer Yoga, the more I’m interested in queering yoga more generally, beyond the LGBTQIA+ community. It’s beautiful, powerful and uplifting to have queer spaces where people can come together and share their lived experiences. But it’s also important that LGBTQIA+ people are also comfortable in mainstream classes. We want the option to attend Queer Yoga, to be in community with others who have relatable lived experiences, but we also need the freedom to attend regular classes, knowing we will feel safe and included.
On our Yoga Teacher Training course, we were trained to teach the individuals in front of us. We learned how to offer a variety of so-called ‘modifications’ of the same pose. For example, you might place a cushion underneath you in a seated pose, or use other props like blocks to raise the ground. This concept is the beginning of Queer Yoga.
Props are essential for teaching Queer Yoga, for sure. But there’s also the environment to consider, such as lighting and noise for people who are neurodivergent. Playing music can make the class less accessible for neurospicy people. There are other considerations to take into account such as disability, mental health, chronic pain, and chronic fatigue. And many of us in the queer community have experienced significant trauma.
It shouldn’t feel queer to consider all these factors. This is also just yoga.
It’s yoga to show up for those around us. It’s yoga to see the world from different perspectives. And it’s yoga to be flexible and open to new ways of being. So, why does the yoga industry sometimes feel so homogeneous?
In this sense, being queer has perhaps taught me more about yoga than yoga has taught me about queerness – or maybe they’re both the same thing when yoga is truly taken back to its roots. I’m hopeful that one day there’ll be a much more queer approach to yoga across the whole of the industry. I’m looking forward to a time when yoga and queer yoga become synonymous.
Queer Yoga Meditation: I Live My Truth
‘I Live My Truth’ is a 9 minute meditation inspired by the definition of the word ‘queer’ in the book The A-Z of Gender and Sexuality, by Morgan Lev Edward Holleb.
Favourite Quote from the book:
“Part of queering is to recognize that there is not a simple truth, not a single way of being, and not an essence to be understood.” (p211)
Why I love This Book:
Language matters, and it evolves fast. In a world with so much unreliable information, this book is a really helpful reference to check your own understanding of queer terms. The book offers a lot of interesting history and context, so there’s plenty to learn even around each word, even if you think you already clearly understand it.
Buy the Book:
Morgan Lev Edward Holleb’s book The A-Z of Gender and Sexuality
(N.B: I don’t receive anything for sharing the link – I just think it’s great to support queer bookshops and authors!)
What does ‘i Live My Truth’ mean to you as a queer person?
I’d love to hear your thoughts! Join the conversation on Instagram or Bluesky.