principles of universal morality collectively known as dharma. Hari-kirtana das also reminds us that dharma is experienced through the Gita as “spiritual activism. Folx, when used as queer folx, welcomes those that identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, intersex, asexual, and anyone else that does not conform to heteronormative or cisgender identies. In words like folks, the work of the x is to generate broad inclusivity.

In identities like Latina and Latino the work of the x is to create non-gendered identities like Latinx. A linguistic manifestation of this intervention is “folx,” an attempt to destroy the binary nature of language. Moreover, queer dharma is concerned not only with the performance of these acts of service but, even more so, with how these acts of service are performed. This emphasis on activism encourages us to consider dharma as the ethical response to our contemporary political moment and recognize it as an ever-changing process. Queer theory is concerned with what homosexuality does. Lesbian and gay studies is concerned with what homosexuality is. Where gay and lesbian studies takes gender and sexual identities as its object of study, queer theory is interested in how those identities come discursively and socially into being and the kind of work they do in the world. Rather than taking identities as stable and fixed, queer theory sees these identities as shifting and contextual. Unlike gay, she argues that queer avoids being defined by sexual acts with another person rather its character comes from how the philosophy is integrated into everyday life as exertions of individuality and freedom. Annamarie Jagose’s genealogy of queer constructed in 1997 avoids articulating a clear definition of the term but does distinguish it from gay. One of its main assertions was that lesbian and gay were pluralistic identities based in actions. It emerged as an intellectual discipline and academic framework in 1991 with the scholarship of Teresa de Laurentis, 4 drawing from feminist and cultural theories. Queer theory was founded on similar principles of mobilization. The inherent political action in queerness provides an ideological foundation of queer dharma. Queer dharma, or the essential nature of queerness, is the set of lived practices that comprise the social duties queer folx 3 contribute to the Universal Self. What is queer dharma? How does it serve the greater good? How can it provide a path toward healing during this year of global pandemic and social unrest? Hari-kirtana das, ancient yoga wisdom text teacher and activist, argues that dharma’s relevance “to the contemporary world is that it’s a handbook for social activism in pursuit of non-sectarian spiritualization of modern society.” 1 He continues, “The beauty of the Bhagavad-gita is found in the universality of its philosophical conclusion, namely, that all relative dharma-s are subordinate to one ultimate dharma: complete and fearless surrender, motivated by love, to the will of the Supreme Person.” 2 Queerness is a powerful contributor to that “ultimate dharma,” encompassing behaviors, embodiments, and devotions. Our Collective Path of Consecrated Action

Folx wagon