HOW INCLUSIVE

is your yoga?

BY LAREE SCHOUWEILER (SHE/HER) + KRISTINE KOPPERUD (SHE/HER)

I’m a cisgendered, white, able-bodied, self-employed yoga instructor — identities you probably expect to see leading your next yoga class — and further, I had the privilege of completing my teacher certification(s) without much hardship. But it bothers me to know I am in the majority of American devotees of this mind-body practice, which originated in south Asia “to connect, to unite, to bind,” among people who are not predominantly white or privileged to the point of wearing name-brand Lycra leggings. As the industry approaches $66.2B by 2027, I can’t keep from wondering: Who is not in class? And what is this practice without them?

It’s not hard to imagine what keeps any one of us from attending yoga in a studio, let alone teaching it. Classes are often $10-20 per session before you factor in costs to get there, including time away from employment, transit, and childcare, if needed. Training to be a yoga teacher is an even greater investment, costing thousands of dollars and hours, and often requiring inperson mentorship and advanced classwork that anyone working a 9-5 must stretch to accommodate.

“When was the last time students of color outnumbered white students in your goto class? Have you had a teacher of south Asian descent? What about classmates or instructors who are queer? Trans? Disabled?”

But we each do it for good reason: Maybe it’s improved health or mental focus. Maybe it’s to heal trauma or injury. Or maybe it’s the camaraderie of fellow humans, all bending and reaching for our better selves.

It’s time to look around and ask questions. When, for example, was the last time students of color outnumbered white students in your go-to class? Have you had a teacher of south Asian descent? What about classmates or instructors who are queer? Trans? Disabled? Then, start the conversation …

Ask your studio owners and yourself:

•Have you sought out teachers of color? • Do class descriptions really accommodate all levels? • Do you encourage attendees to share their pronouns? • Are there scholarships for students to access the practice, or financial diversity in pricing? • Can you offer, or continue to offer, classes online (something differently abled people have been clamoring for, and which parents of young children can attend without paying a sitter)?

What, together, are we doing to ensure this wellness practice is not a luxury afforded by few? And what can we ask of each other to best reflect the unity at the heart of yoga, created for all? +