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Podcast: New Books in Buddhist Studies
Episode: Peter A. Jackson and Benjamin Baumann, "Deities and Divas: Queer Ritual Specialists in Myanmar, Thailand and Beyond" (NIAS Press, 2021)
Description: How does queer life fit into Buddhism and ritual? What role do gay men and trans women play in the practice of spirit mediumship and how do queer spirit mediums mediate between Thailand’s religious fields? How can we understand the increasing numbers of queer spirit mediums across mainland Southeast Asia?Peter A. Jackson and Benjamin Baumann provide important insights into their new book Deities and Divas, Queer Ritual Specialists in Myanmar, Thailand and Beyond (NIAS Press 2021). Deities and Divas is the first book to trace commonalities between queer and religious cultures in Southeast Asia and the West...