Discrimination against Trans people in the Sangha

[Rosie]

@thomaslaw

Are transsexuals allowed to be monks/nuns into the Sangha?

In general, I don’t think so. Bearing in mind that the following references pertain to Buddhist society, and not the Buddha’s words…

Becoming Jivaka - the story of the first transgender monk

I came across an interesting article and book-review in Tricycle that I want to share here. It is about the first Female-To-Male transgender in England, Michael Dillon. He eventually ended up in India and tried to become a monk. He became a Samanera but ran into a lot of problems trying to get higher ordination. His story echos the stuggles that the Bhikkhunis have also had to deal with 50 years later. Eventually he found a Tibetan monk who was willing to give him higher ordination, but Michae…

The subject remains controversial, as does my existence. I would also refer you to this deep and insightful comment:

Responding to and discussing gender issues

Continuing the discussion from Buddhism, Women, & Gender (A Bibliography): Friend @Rosie, The issue of transgenderism is a new and complex one for many people (I think for most people), and unfortunately mature and calm attempts to explain and discuss it are very often marred by the tendency to take either defensive or aggressive emotional positions with regards to it. Therefore I ask for your forbearance should I (or possibly others) say something here that is coming from ignorance rather tha…

And this one:

On Sex & Gender

Hi friends, I hope you’re well. Recently, Bhante Yuttadhammo made a video about gender that I would like to share and discuss: [Gender] Bhante mentions some really interesting ideas about how gender is in some sense determined by the standards set-out and taught by one’s society. However, I think it’s important to differentiate between sex and gender in this context, because whereas sex is pre-determined (though not always unchanging), gender is constantly changing and fluxing both…