Yoga is gay

But when I did attend classes, I felt invisible. I was chubby and inflexible, barely able to touch the ground in a forward fold, nevermind execute an arm balance like crow pose. I practiced in loose pants and old t-shirts that flew up to expose my round stomach, because leggings yoga is gay clingy yoga tanks felt invalidating.

Every time a yoga teacher used gendered cues, mentioned upcoming yoga retreats, or offered the class an opportunity to practice handstands—something that seemed to come easy to the bendy, leggings-clad yogis that packed most classes—I was reminded anew that I was an interloper in yoga land.

I stuck to the back of the room, hyper-aware of everything from my smelly feet to my attempts at chaturangaand scurried out of the studio at the end of class. Boston may have been a cosmopolitan city, although a highly segregated one, but this ancient practice of Hindu philosophy felt like it was reserved for skinny, wealthy, white women who had their shit together and could afford to invest in personal, physical, and spiritual development.

The yoga teacher talked my fellow yogis through poses I knew well. While she explained the body mechanics of low lunges and forward folds, she emphasized breathwork and tuning in to the body. She began practicing yoga as rehabilitation of an old injury. She felt relatable. There was no default to gendered language, something mainstream yoga teachers used without a second thought.

It was my way of coping with a system that used hand positions, pose recommendations, and different terms for male and female yogis to center, without space for fluidity, the gender binary. But here, as we flowed through sun salutation, something shifted. It was about feeling connected to my body and to my community.

When children grow up hearing transphobic and homophobic slurs, their body image suffers and they internalize shame. In a Chapman University study77 percent of gay men felt they were judged on appearance, and 51 percent of gay men expressed interest in cosmetic surgery. Pressure from romantic partners, friends, and media to conform to unrealistic beauty standards leads gay men to experience higher rates of eating disorders and body dysmorphia than their straight peers.

Conventional wisdom would suggest that lesbian, bi, and queer-identified women are exempt from pressure to be thin, as the assumption is women only attempt yoga is gay be thin to adhere to the tastes of straight men; however, some studies suggest that with greater acceptance of LGBTQs comes increased pressure to conform to heteronormative beauty standards.

These stressors carry lifelong consequences. Almost half of transgender adults report depression or anxiety, compared with 6. There also continue to be few professionals nationwide who have the knowledge to address LGBTQ mental and emotional wellbeing. In the face of a lack of bias-free, gender-affirming care, many LGBTQ folks have turned to self-care tools like yoga to fill the gap.

While yoga has long been known as a stress reliever, it has potential to heal body image issues, too.

Is It Weird If Guys Do Yoga? – A Woman’s Perspective

Studies have chronicled how yoga lowers stress through improvements in heart rate, respiratory rate, and systolic blood pressure. Yoga activates both the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the nervous systems. Flowing sequences like the sun salutation stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, while seated meditation boosts the parasympathetic nervous system.

Morgan, who trained in Phoenix Rising yoga, notes that specific styles of yoga may work better for healing trauma. Ballard speaks to the LGBTQ lived experience in yoga practice by addressing homophobia yoga is gay transphobia in meditation and highlighting savasana as a time to release inner shame or guilt.

While remaining in a pose, students may be encouraged to ground, balance, or soften. Strength, stability, and emotional release come through focused movement. Playful poses lighten the mood, helping participants find fun in their bodies. Yogic breathwork grounds participants in the present moment, which can pause anxious thoughts.

With regular practice, yoga changes fascia, tones muscle, and increases balance. As it becomes easier to move, people feel better in their bodies.