War is Obsolete

When Rebecca Walker first discussed the possibility of putting together an anthology of writings about redefining masculinity in the twenty-first century I was intrigued. The concentrism of masculinity and feminism is a topic that represents openness in identity discourse that fits well within the Buddhadharma.

Walker asks, "Could it be that conventional masculinity, with its stoicism and violence, has become so toxic that men themselves are refusing to take it on?"

I contributed a piece titled, "War Is Obsolete," to the collection of essays. My point in writing was to draw attention to the war I have had to fight within my own heart. There is so much to say about being a middle-class ghetto raised African American heterosexual Christian man, who journeys into a lifestyle of skirt-wearing within a Buddhist community dominated by model minorities and LGBT people of color. Surviving was only a small part of a journey that revealed yet another variation of insider/outsider complications.

Walker brings this unique collection of writings on masculinity together by stating, "What I discovered is that most men want to come out as the sensitive, multidimensional beings that they are. They want to be loved without having to fight to prove their manhood, without having to hurt others in order to secure their own place at the table. In the same way that women have had to break free of traditional behavior, men too are beginning to reject the idea of a one-size fits all masculinity, and to liberate themselves from the socially acceptable performance that restricts their full human potential."

Author, Barbara Ehrenreich comments, "Whether you are a man exploring issues of identity, or a woman who loves one, or you are just a person who believes in the possibility of human evolution, this book is for you."

I further recommend this book to the Dharma community at-large as an example of the transformative power that arises through commingling new masculine voices in the West. The fact that Ms. Walker, icon of Third Wave Feminism, facilitates this contribution is a testament to her vision as well as to the egalitarian nature of Buddhist teachings. She urges us to support the effort to get What Makes a Man into the hands of the men and women who need it the most. I support this effort and hope you will too.

Best Wishes,

Lama Rangdrol