85: The Trans* Yoga Project with M Camellia + River Redwood

The Trans* Yoga Project is doing incredibly important work in the yoga and wellness spaces and I’m honored to introduce you to two of the founding members, River Redwood (they/them) and M Camellia (they/them).

The Trans* Yoga Project creates and holds space for Trans* people to live wholly and thrive loudly by dismantling barriers to access in yoga and wellness spaces and by offering classes and wellness services as affirming, Trans*-centered containers where their siblings can explore their own inner landscapes, tap into their various innate wisdoms, and co-create healing environments that serve their deepest needs. They further support the Trans* community by (re)educating allied yoga teachers and wellness professionals through trainings and resources that honor the expansive nature of Trans experience and the practices of yoga and liberation.

River Redwood (they/them) River is a non-binary trans being and they’ve been transitioning since 2006. Their passions are spirituality, tarot, yoga, astrology, Trans history, and traveling. Their favorite places are lush forests, rugged coastlines and painted deserts. River is inspired by their cat Henry and their dog Hank, who drop everything and stretch their spines whenever their bodies ask. They currently live in Los Angeles, California and their purpose in life is to boldly and unapologetically be themself.

M Camellia (they/them) is a fat, queer, non-binary, neuro-emergent yoga teacher and advocate, called to create profoundly accessible spaces for self-inquiry by integrating mindfulness and adaptive movement practices with the spirit of social justice. They believe that the goal of yoga, as of life, is collective liberation and in turn challenge contemporary yoga practitioners to dismantle the systems and beliefs that hold us all back.

M teaches classes and workshops in the Washington DC Metro Area and online, and trains teachers in trauma-informed teaching practices, consent, and accessibility. They are a founding collaborator with the Trans Yoga Project and serve on the staff of Accessible Yoga. They’ve been called a “tour-de-force of encouraging radical self-love” (DC Refined) and listed among the “top thinkers and activists in the field of body positivity” (OmStars).

In this episode you’ll hear:

  • about the urgent need to educate allied yoga teachers and wellness professionals so the expansive nature of Trans* experience is honored and yoga is truly a practice of liberation
  • what can cis-studio owners and yoga teachers listening can do to create inclusive and affirming environments for all queer and trans* people
  • ways to alter and adapt cueing so it is not gendered
  • And so much more!

Learn More About The Trans* Yoga Project:

This episode is brought to you by OfferingTree, an easy-to-use, all-in-one online platform for yoga teachers that provides a personal website, booking, payment, blogging, and many other great features. If you sign up at www.offeringtree.com/mentor, you’ll get 50% off your first three months (or 15% off any annual plan)!  OfferingTree supports me with each sign-up. I’m proud to be supported by a public benefit company whose mission is to further wellness access and education for everyone.

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One Response to “85: The Trans* Yoga Project with M Camellia + River Redwood”

  1. Janie Ganga

    Thanks Francesca for connecting us with this awesome project. I love the perspective that not using gendered terms in yoga classes just makes for better, more specific cue-ing overall! Yay!

    In 2019, I updated my Waiver/Intake form to include: Non-Binary/Other: _____ in the Gender category, but I hadn’t thought to make a spot to list pronouns. I just made that update now!

    Great tips from everyone on how to practice using “They/Them” pronouns. I love using They pronouns — it can be super practical to talk about that person you met, how you clicked with them, and you’re excited that they are connecting you with an awesome resource. Also, as a bisexual person who dealt with intense biphobia for so many years, I used to really freeze up when I tried to figure out how to talk about my partners because (back in the 90s/ early 00s especially) I was always doing the mental calculus about whether I could safely refer to my male partner in lesbian environments (for fear of being rejected/kicked out) or whether I could be out about female partners in assumed-straight environments (for fear of unwanted attention/homophobia)… Lots has changed since those early years… which I’m so grateful for! And as the LGBTQIA community grows and evolves, and the Ally community & the yoga community grow and evolve, and I grow and evolve, I’m super excited about how we all can be a little more welcoming & supportive, moment by moment.

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