Homophobia in Siddha Yoga
Homophobia is not new in Siddha Yoga. Below are stories of personal discrimination, Muktananda’s quoted bias, a recent article in Out Magazine and the story of the firing of a hatha yoga teacher because she was a lesbian.
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Copyright 1976 – Paperback / Questions are taken from 1/3/72- 4/24/72 ” Question: What are the qualities which make a Guru truly worthy of our reverence, and what is the right attitude to have towards the Guru? …. But a true Guru follows the scriptural injunctions in this regard and would not do anything improper, no matter what type of life he were leading. A Guru would never be flirting with mistresses or hobnobbing with homosexuals. In our country a homosexual would never be regarded as a guru. Homosexuals are considered to be eunuchs – disgusting, impure and inauspicious.” |
There are several stories in the website regarding individuals who have felt the discrimination first hand. |
- I was a lesbian before I got into SYDA. I am a lesbian now. God knows what I was during my SYDA years
- Gay Bashing by the Gods
- It was common knowledge that gay couples were not to be housed in the same rooms at the ashram
- She was told in a horrified manner that GM would never put two people of the same sex together
The Open Letter, written by ex-followers shortly after the O Guru article was written refer to the firing of all the gay and lesbian hatha yoga teachers in the ashrams and centers around the world.
Paradise Lost, an article by Sally Chew in OUT Magazine has been published. December/January 1998. Press HERE for the section that deals with homophobia in Siddha Yoga.
A recent Usenet post to alt.support.ex-cult.siddha-yoga:
Subject: Re: Paradise Lost article – Out Magazine; Homophobia in Siddha Yoga
From: shawdan@aol.com (Shawdan)
Date: 1997/11/29
Message-ID: 19971129112301.GAA22907@ladder02.news.aol.com
References: 347f26f9.131204091@news.jps.net
X-Admin: news@aol.comOrganization:
AOL httpNewsgroups: alt.support.ex-cult.siddha-yoga
>Number Two – anyone is possession of any old photograph and a recent photograph can verify that nothing has been done to her nose.
Let’s be clear: Gurumayi did have plastic surgery, and she did have it on her nose. And if you look at pictures, you will see that the old nose has a tip that dips down, markedly, and the new one does not.
The Leaving Siddha Yoga Website has an article including testimony from various people about homophobia in SYDA. It’s called Gay Bashing of the Gods, in the Stories section at www.LeavingSiddhaYoga.org
I have also told the story, perhaps not here, of how I was the manager of the Manhattan Ashram after Gurumayi left Rome when she was on tour there (was it’ 90 or ’91?). As the manager of the ashram, I was told by the head of the Hatha Yoga department and by one of the managers, that I was to fire the Hatha Yoga teacher who was teaching there because she was a lesbian, but I was not to tell her that, just make up some story. I did it.
I just hope that woman is not still in Siddha Yoga.
Dan Shaw
www.danielshawlcsw.com