We ask everyone who comes through our doors to actively participate in co-creating the most welcoming, inclusive, and socially aware environment in which to practice meditation and learn from our programs and teachers. This is our Radical Inclusivity practice.  

When men, especially straight white cisgender men, first come to EBMC, some find the experience disorienting. For some men, stepping into an environment that is not centered primarily around varied dimensions of the male experience—but is, rather, designed to ensure that everyone is seen, heard, and valued—can create an awareness of separation and difference that is uncomfortable. In part this is simply because it is unfamiliar. 

We hope you will find support, inspiration, and hope in these resources. Thank you for reading and for your practice. Please give us feedback if you feel so moved at Radical.Inclusivity@eastbaymeditation.org

  • “Day-to-day patterns of domination are the glue that maintain systems of domination.” (Chris Crass) Tools for White Guys who are Working for Social Change (3–6 minutes)
  • “And here’s what cisgender men such as myself need to consider: if patriarchy is fundamentally violent and oppressive, then we have a responsibility to consider the ways that we might be complicit in that violence – simply by living out the patterns of how we were taught to be men.” (Jamie Utt) 5 Common Behaviors Cis Men May Not Realize Are Abusive (and How To Stop Them) (11–21 minutes)
  • “(W)e’ve compiled a list of common phrases people in historically dominant roles have been conditioned to and may use to try to silence oppressed others, particularly when they perceive their dominance to be challenged.” (Sista Resista) Handy Reference Guide to Identifying Oppressive Silencing (2–4 minutes)
  • A straight white man reflects on his journey: “This lie of entitlement – my privilege to describe the reality of women – gives the rape culture its life. Patriarchy is predicated on this lie and our protective silence. . . . To transform the culture, I must transform what it means for me to be a man.” (Terrence Crowley) The Lie of Entitlement (9–17 minutes)
  • “Being a man is about growth – not necessarily about man as distinct from woman, or about masculinity versus femininity. Being a man means maturing beyond boyhood behaviors. Being a man means taking your responsibilities seriously, doing right by others, and having self-control.” (Shawn Bush) Men of Color and Masculinity (article by Sudip Bhattacharya: 7–15 minutes)
  • “We start as society makes us, but where do we go from there?” (Paul Hartzer)
    How My Culture Made Me (4–8 minutes)
  • “Non-toxic masculinity is about being yourself, whatever that may mean for you.” (Christian Lopez) WHAT DOES NON-TOXIC MASCULINITY LOOK LIKE? (4–8 minutes)
  • “When I walked out of my . . . Crazy Rich Asians screening . . . I (was) ecstatic about finally seeing . . . men who look like me depicted as full human beings who deserve love and respect from others just like any other men.” (Edwin Peng) Crazy Rich Asian Masculinity (6–11 minutes)
  • “I understood—before I had words or concepts to express it—that American gender norms were oppressive. . . . Patriarchy lives within each of us. We made this system. We can unmake it.” (Christian Lopez) Why Does Patriarchy Persist? (15–30 minutes)