As a lay male supporter in Perth I’ve followed this discussion with interest. Theravada is very traditional and the original reasons for the Garudhammas and Vinaya must be kept in mind. Change is inevitable but will take time, Rome wasn’t built in a day, LGQBT equal marriage rights didn’t happen overnight either. The Buddha hesitated ordaining bhikkunis for good reason as it was no doubt very controversial at that time. Having said that my personal opinion is that it would be beneficial for the image of Buddhism to change the “rules” but only with the full concensus of the relevant Sanghas concerned. Unfortunately the Sangha rules insists on unanimous agreement. Tich nahn Hahn of Plum village in France has a revised modern vinaya for his Mahayana community on their website so there is hope of impermanence. Dhammasara monastery in Perth is expanding much faster then Bodhinyana did, currently they are fundraising for 4 new kutis for the nuns. Therefore I can’t agree more with the statement "support your Bhikkuni monastics in every way possible.
With metta,
Bill
Hi Laurence,
thanks!
I understand your thoughts, but I don’t think it is so easy or one-sided. 
It’s not all the sangha’s doing, for one. Especially in eastern counties, but also in the West, there are a lot of ideas deeply embedded in many lay people too. Some may honestly think a bhikkhu lost his whole Vinaya if he’d pay respects to a bhikkhuni, for example. They don’t know the bhikkhu’s rule is in the order of “wearing black footwear” and such–they think it’s a real big deal. So that may stop even the best intended bhikkhus. (For me, I am very very rarely in a situation that I can pay respects to bhikkhunis, so this is not really an issue, but can imagine how it can be.)
Compare it to this: In Thai culture bhikkhus receive offerings from women on a cloth instead of by hand. Now, when you think this looks like misogyny to those of other cultures and so receive things by hand instead, some Thai will think you don’t know Vinaya, even though there is no Vinaya rule against this at all; it’s just a custom. So you may use the cloth so to make people happy. They may even insist, be all confused otherwise–I’ve had that happen. So a bhikkhu may not even like the practice himself, but is sort of stuck in a corner by tradition. And you might just say: well, screw traditions, revolt! But you know, these people feed you and care for you… And honestly think they are helping you! 
Also, some people truly belief that giving to a monk is better kamma than giving to a nun, just because the Buddha was male. Just like the other examples, this is not deliberate discrimination even, but just honest misinformation. But not misinformation you can change in a day. Or that you can have a revolution against.
The fact that many monasteries don’t ordain bhikkhunis but only 10-precept nuns, if at all, is also largely influenced by ideas among the laity, who often honestly think the Theravads bhikkhunis couldn’t be ‘revived’. The monasteries fear losing their support if they make contested changes. So the bhikkhus are in a bit of a corner again, even if they do think bhikkhuni ordination is good. You never hear about this much, but it plays a definite part.
Another example outside of the sangha’s reach: There is a national law in Thailand against women becoming a bhikkhuni. I belief there is a similar one in Burma, but don’t quote me on that.
So it’s not senior monastics who hold the strings. Maybe there is some truth in that as well; I actually don’t know. All I know it’s definitely not as easy as that. And if there are those that “hold the strings”, they may not even have to have evil misogynistic ideas, it can also be that they honestly think certain things. They just have their own interpretation of Vinaya, which I can respect. The sangha is largely a wholesome force in my experience, not set out to be discriminatory.
Change just takes time. 
As long as things go in the right direction isn’t that OK? Now that there are more and more bhikkhunis, and as long as, as you say, there are monastics who do something about things in their daily practice, people will eventually get what’s right, I think. Things are moving the right way, aren’t they? In general, at least.
And through it all bhikkhus and bhikkhunis will realize the dhamma regardless. That there will be, or already are, bhikkhuni ariyas: Isn’t that an awesome thought? Instant happiness! I prefer to focus on that personally.
And to put words into deeds: I think I’ll shut up about this topic now.
Hello Kay,
Apologies that it’s taken me a few days to respond to this, every time I start reading the latest posts on this thread it makes me want to go take a nap.
Of course 
Forgive me if my post came across as saying, “we should stop discussing the garudhammas entirely,” that is of course not what I was suggesting. But rather, I think that in terms of most urgent needs, reform of the garudhammas is not one of them. For, if the bhikkhuni communities are not materially and financially supported in the next 10-20 years, then it won’t matter what the garudhammas say because there won’t be any bhikkhunis left to keep standards set in the Vinaya and Patimokkha.
I think if nuns and lay-people want to have conversations about the garudhammas, both in person and online, then they should absolutely feel free to do so. I, for one, will always raise questions about instances of marginalization against women in EBTs (in fact, I’m applying to graduate school to study this very thing), and will always encourage such conversations to take place. My point was merely, let’s make sure that the bhikkhuni sangha survives first. 
Reading a few of latest postings, and close to coma, this diamond leaped to eye _/_
I feel like I am probably late to this discussion and am asking a question that has come up many times before, but what lay organizatons exist for organizing support globally for Bhikhuni communities?
No, it’s not. The recent posts have been the most balanced and thoughtful—particularly Anāgārikā Sabbamitta’s and Bhante’s posts.
I am talking about the Alliance of Bhikkhunis.
An organization to support bhikkhunīs; what does that have to do with men?
Founded in 2007, the Alliance for Bhikkhunis is a US-based 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization committed to supporting ordained Theravada Buddhist women. Our focus is to support and protect the development of the international Bhikkhuni Sangha through education, sustainable economic empowerment, provisioning of health care, and organizing and mobilizing for a gender-balanced approach to Theravada monasticism.
http://www.bhikkhuni.net/mission/
The whole mission statement is about being supportive of bhukkhunīs. You discredit it just because it says “mobilizing for a gender-balanced approach to Theravada monasticism”?
I’d be interested in what is meant by this (@Brenna), but I highly doubt it means “taking control and rearranging all of Theravāda monasticism/Vinaya for the sake of bhukkhunīs and no one else.” Maybe it just means a less discriminatory (i.e., balanced) approach for bhikhhunīs in Theravāda monasticism, no?
…
Wow.
You really think that statement and comparison makes sense, Sarath?
Hi guys, this thread has been put on a tea break and will be re-opened in due course. Please take the opportunity to review our community guidelines.
I completely agree 
Oh, good luck Brenna!! 
I fully concur
Huh. I didn’t have a role in writing the mission statement but it definitely does not suggest the ‘women-bashing-men’ idea that you’re thinking, @SarathW1. I think “gender-balanced” just means that the organization will work towards creating a sangha in which women are represented equally in proportion to men; ie. making sure that women’s voices are heard and that women are granted the same opportunities, such as bhikkhuni ordination. But @samseva summed it up pretty nicely too.
Thank you, Kay! 
I just finished my applications yesterday and now the waiting game commences 
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Hullo folks,
It looks like there may have been some technical funkiness with the forum system which enabled non-moderator posts to be added to the thread while it was still technically closed. Apologies for any confusion caused.
Anyway, this thread has now been re-opened. Before adding to it please do take care to keep what, for the most part, has been an impressively thoughtful and well-mannered thread respectful and good-natured.
If you have a considered perspective (of any nature - so long as it pertains to the original enquiry) that supports the development of a constructive conversation that you can present in a polite, balanced way, please do add it. Wild, carelessly-worded provocations will result in moderator action and/or the permanent closure of this thread.
Please, take the opportunity to reflect on how any post you make might be received, whether it may be overly sharp and/or antagonistic and thus softened, and if it is possible to present your point of view, whatever it is, in such a way will lead to quality discussion which may in turn allow for a growth in common understanding (distinct from common agreement).
Warm regards.
Quite apart from the ‘content’ of the posts, the emotion they stir up does provide a great opportunity for applying the Dhamma to oneself. Why the emotion? Anger, fear, exasperation, frustration, etc etc…
This can be seen as a’ precious jewell’, here to give an opportunity for better knowledge of self view 
metta