The staff and I have set an intention for 2026 to do everything we can to make all that BCBS offers—study, practice, and community—accessible to everyone, and to nurture the conditions that make that possible. Everyone ought to be able to participate in, contribute to, and benefit from the dharma as who they understand themselves to be.
We have already made some progress. We have started adding handrails to staircases, improving the audio system in the Dharma Hall for people with hearing aids, and we purchased an electric cart to support yogis who come to the campus and have mobility challenges.
I wear hearing aids. It was easy for me to provide input on the need for a better audio system. After I was in an e-bike accident, I could point out where handrails would be supportive to someone with limited mobility. This is the easy stuff—handrails are more straightforward than changing human dynamics and practices so that they lead to inclusion.
June is Pride Month for the LGBTQIA+ community, so I have been reflecting on and talking with people about the accessibility issues this community faces (read the interview with Pascal Auclair on queer community). I can’t viscerally feel the subtle and not-so-subtle ways that people who don’t share my complex identities experience our online courses and the campus. For decades, I have been in the fight for equitable access, and so I know the likely obstacles. And knowing and feeling are different.
For example, I know that misgendering someone can be hurtful. I have, in the past, used the excuse that it is hard to use “they” because “it is grammatically incorrect”—the French teachers in my school spent hours drilling this into me. For years, I have been trying to change what I know. Did you know that the AP Stylebook has accepted this use since 2017? That “they” as a singular pronoun has been in consistent use since the 1300s?
Then a friend told me a heartfelt story about how a young adult in her life explained the impact of misgendering on them as not being truly seen as who they are. I still can’t feel that hurt myself, but I am trying very hard not to cause any additional suffering. And, as importantly, we need to work together as a community to develop an organization and a sangha that proactively creates the positive conditions that will support people from LGBTQIA+ communities to deepen their study and practice.
I think a meaningful way to recognize the celebration of Pride is to listen deeply to better understand the obstacles LGBTQIA+ practitioners face in accessing all that BCBS offers. We invite you to share your thoughts through this short survey. As always, you are also welcome to reach out to me directly at melissag@buddhistinquiry.org if you would prefer a conversation or an in-person meeting. I will share what we learned from listening to you and how that has informed our actions.
I know that this path and our aspiration to increase accessibility will not be easy. I will make mistakes, and I will be accountable when I do. And I know—and feel—that it is the essential work to reduce suffering and make BCBS a spiritual home for all.
With deep gratitude for this community,
Melissa
