As a teacher who offers classes specifically to the Queer and Trans communities, I have had some disheartening experiences and witnessed some students struggle to find a place for themselves in the yoga world. While some studio owners have turned classes away because they want classes the can offer "to everyone", others have "scooped" requests for me to teach to a LGBTQ group because they felt "anyone can teach Queer and Trans Yoga". And, sadly, I’ve taught students who have experienced homophobic and/or transphobic experiences at other classes. I know we can do better as a yoga community—to open our hearts and create more spaces that provide safety, understanding, and community building. Meet Jacoby Ballard, a yoga instructor and co-owner of a wellness centre in Brooklyn, New York, who is doing just that.
What led you to decide to offer yoga classes to the queer and trans communities?
I came out as trans while training to be a teacher, and so yoga has always been a part of my gender. It’s been a very spiritual process, to transition socially and medically, that it has really demanded that I know who I am. Though I found support through yoga in yamas and niyamas and through the warmth of my teachers, I also found a complete lack of understanding of the trans experience.
For the rest of the interview click below:
http://torontobodymind.ca/blogs/heather-douglas/inspiring-instructors-part-ii-queer-and-trans-yoga
