Are you INclusive or are you EXclusive?

So, an irony happened the other day. A program booklet for a Buddhist symposium shown up on my Whatsapp. And honestly? I missed it because I was in Hong Kong, singing my heart out at Sally Yeh's concert. I know, I know… some might say the Dharma should always come first, but that weekend, the call of my favorite idol was just too strong to ignore. Also, it's an early birthday gift I gift myself. 

As I was flipping through the booklet, I saw the beautiful words this organisation uses to describe itself — 'harmonious,' 'compassionate,' 'inclusive.' It all sounds so good, right? And it got me thinking... true inclusivity feels like it must be deeper than the interfaith work they often highlight. It has to reach into the very fabric of how we welcome everyone in our community.

In a world where chatGPT can generate those words so effortlessly, does the organisation itself really understand them? Especially that word “inclusive.” We throw it around so much, but what does it actually look like in real life?

This isn’t the first time I’ve wondered about them. Few years ago, they put out a press release statement saying they support marriage only between a man and a woman. And that just didn’t sit right with me. My heart sank a little. The Buddha welcomed everyone — literally everyone, from murderers to prostitutes to the so-called "untouchables." His love had no "buts" or "except fors." So why are we excluding the LGBTQ community now?

And please, this isn’t just about me being a queer Buddhist. It’s bigger than that. What about our friends who are deaf? Was there someone signing at the symposium so they could understand? When we say "everyone is welcome," do they mean everyone can actually get through the door and feel like they belong? Or do they just mean we’re open to people who are "different"?

To me, the Buddha’s teaching was never about just sitting quietly. It was about getting up and helping. It was about seeing suffering and doing something about it. So if we’re only sharing the Dharma with people who look and think like us, are we really following the Buddha's teachings and its intent? Isn't the Dharma most precious for the vulnerable community who have suffered the most?

This is what “Engaged Buddhism” means to me. It’s about rolling up our sleeves. It’s about seeing the pain in the LGBTQ+ community, or the disabled community, saying, "We are interconnected" and "That’s my business, too."

Sometimes a voice in my head says, "This is too big for you, you’re just one person." But then I remember I don’t have to do it alone. It should be a collective effort. Another voice whispers, "Just focus on your own peace." But my meditation isn’t for hiding from the world; it’s for gathering the strength to go out facing the world with a kind and resilent heart.

There’s a story I love about the Buddha stopping a war between two clans who were fighting over water. He stood right between them and asked, “What’s more valuable, your blood or this water?” They said, “Our blood, of course!” And he said, “Then why are you ready to spill it for this?” His simple question cut through all the anger and reminded them they were connected. He stood up to interfere and prevent further violence. That’s the kind of wise, inclusive action I’m talking about. 

All this wondering makes me a little sad for the future. When a group’s or organisation's actions don’t match their beautiful words, is it because they don’t know better, or because they aren’t being fully honest? Just like how the organisation handled that marriage press release — they just put it out, then deleted it, and never spoke of it again. It feels like pretending a problem doesn't exist, and that never works.

And maybe that’s why my trip to Hong Kong felt so special. In that huge stadium, I saw a glimpse of the world I wish we had. I saw queer folks and elders and families with kids and people in wheelchairs, all just… together. When Sally sang, “I believe in PEACE, I believe in Love, I believe in KINDNESS and I believe in YOU,” I looked around and I felt it. We were all included. We were all coming together in peace and love, just believing in ourselves and each other.

That’s the feeling I’m carrying with me. May we all have the courage to make it real, not just in a concert stadium, but everywhere. This path of true compassion isn't a spectator sport. So I have to ask, with all the love in my heart: when it comes to building this kinder world, are you "INclusive", or are you "EXclusive"?

Will we reach out with true compassion and inclusivity? And remember that we don’t find enlightenment alone, but in the beautiful, messy, and joyful work of carrying each other. 

I recalled the phrase "if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem" by activist Leroy Eldridge Cleaver. Let's honour the Buddha's teaching as part of the solution.