Articles
Toward a Thai Feminist Movement: Ouyporn Khuankaew Caitlin Dwyer Buddhistdoor Global, 12 June 2019
e badly need feminist Buddhist scholars and meditation teachers who empower women and many marginalized people,” says Ouyporn Khuankaew.
As the founder and lead trainer for the International Women’s Partnership for Peace and Justice (IWP), based in Chiang Dao, Thailand, Ouyporn has thought a lot about feminism and its relationship to Buddhism and Thai culture. As a domestic violence survivor herself, she focuses her teaching on trauma, gender, and sexuality, topics that are often taboo in Thai society. Formerly a director of Women and Gender programs for the International Network of Engaged Buddhists,
From womenforpeaceandjustice.org
Khuankaew now leads anti-oppression workshops and retreats for activists suffering from burnout. For her,
When I first conducted a workshop with the Buddhist
the work of transforming Thai society and empowering
women from this region many years ago, what we
women means braiding spiritual practice with activist
found was that most teachings we have socialized from
work.
the Buddhist monks were anti-women. For example, we have all learned that, as women, we cannot gain
Buddhistdoor Global: How do you see feminism in
enlightenment. Thus, patriarchal Buddhist institutions
relationship to Buddhism, especially in Thailand?
and teachings have become one of the main root causes of
oppression,
particularly
against
women,
Ouyporn Khuankaew: Feminist views and practices
transgendered people, the disabled, and other
are most needed in transforming Thai Buddhism
marginalized groups. We badly need feminist Buddhist
because, as a result of male domination in Thai
scholars and meditation teachers who empower
Theravadha Buddhism, the Buddha’s teachings have
women and marginalized people.
been altered or replaced by the teachings of patriarchy. 50
