by: Danielle Boissoneau, SACHA, Diverse Communities Outreach Program Coordinator

Liberation through embodiment, through a connection to ourselves and our kin, in safe spaces built by us for us – this is how we imagine our programming and our relationships. SACHA Diverse Communities Outreach Program is so pleased to collaborate with GoodBodyFeel to bring you Liberated Moves for Two Spirit, Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, People of Colour who survive the violence of racism, patriarchy and transphobia.

Community is like a missing puzzle piece I have been searching for all my life. While we are capable of going through life alone, it feels so much sweeter with a supportive community by your side. We all deserve a space where you can hang up the baggage you’ve been carrying for a moment and sit with community. GoodBodyFeel is this place for me, and perhaps it is for you too. I know I deserve this space, and that you deserve it too.

Learn more about Caitlin Molony, new teacher to the schedule and graduate of GBFTT2019. This profile includes a curated playlist and 20min standing sequence by Cait.

“Why do people in bigger bodies need separate classes?”

Jo considers this question more in depth and her own journey to creating and offering Be Abundant workshops.

“If you haven’t had the pleasure of being in a room of people that truly get your experience, I understand why you might ask this question. Identity-specific communities are places where people don’t need to explain or justify their experiences or themselves. We come together as people in fat bodies among other people in fat bodies to commiserate, celebrate, take up space unapologetically, and to simply be.”

Kicking off September with a bang! This week, I had the pleasure of facilitating a training for GBF staff and teacher trainees on building trans-affirming, trauma-informed movement spaces. We know that trans* folks experience loads of barriers to safely accessing movement spaces and that many studios and instructors want to offer affirming, accessible classes for folks to show up, be themselves, move their bodies, and be affirmed in their gender.

GBF continues to show up to do the tough work of learning and unlearning. This is what September is all about. May we all be inspired to deepen our commitment to learning this month and always.

This year 2020, has been a rude awakening collectively for black communities (although not new to us) and non-black communities alike. We know what blinding greed at the hands of white supremacist delusionist looks like. Governments who blatantly ignore the needs of its people who it claims to be in service of. Social Media exploded with images, hashtags of the many black men, black womxn and the black trans community being targetted for murder. It is obvious what is happening to black people under this system and still it is like we have to prove that it is actually happening.
Liberated Moves was born from the rise of unrest, and deep suffering of the black community and particularly its black womxn. An offering where Black Womxn Movement teachers lead the BIPOC community through accessible movement, mindful breathing and gentle conversation.

I am discovering again, what it means to root myself into daily life, slowly. I have grown increasingly aware that I have limited energy to exert; Liberated Moves class makes it clearer what I need to say NO to, for my peace of mind. It holds my need for rest, quiet, contemplation and the opportunity to do this with other BIPOC humxns.

This month, GOODBODYFEEL will be relaunching our movement classes created by and for folks from the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Our intention here is to carve our space to move together in solidarity and safety (virtually for now), as well as fostering community and social connections for queer, trans, Two-Spirit and gender diverse folks.While many celebrate the offering of exclusive spaces for our community (or any marginalized community), others will invariably raise eyebrows or get their backs up. Whether it’s a hater, a privileged queer, or a straight ally, I promise you someone is asking: is this really necessary?

Short answer: Hell yes.

My supportive friends, family, and some of my coworkers knew I was going in for surgery, and I had looked forward to announcing it on social media, my coming out of sorts. Introducing the true me, the me that was always there but is finally here. The daydream of posting pictures of progress, how I look in a shirt (I LOOK FLAT IT’S AMAZING), and being that friend that’s constantly posting shirtless pics of themselves is deflated by the idea of having to explain every few days to someone that no, I didn’t have cancer, you didn’t miss some big announcement. 

White supremacy is still killing black and indigenous people in 2020 and white privilege is allowing it to happen. Sit with that. Feel it. White supremacy is alive and well in our world today, and if you are white you are benefiting from it and (knowingly or unknowingly) upholding it. This is a devastating truth I am working to accept and understand more every day. It’s complicated and painful, but it must be confronted because white denial literally results in the oppression and death of black people.

Our last cycle was about integrating periods of rest to prevent burn out. In light of our pandemic, we have been forced into a collective rest, a pause. Acknowledging that ability to rest can be a struggle especially in these times it is essential to be ever softer with yourself as you remember how to rest.

Last month we used the voice to create change and bring awareness to issues that have long been ignored. We used the voice to empower ourselves and to share that power with others. We have come to understand that the voice is also a whisper even when it quivers; that it can be small and still have impact. We also used that VOICE in a number of ways examples being in personal adornment, photos, writing with a pen and/or social media.

You can still be your weirdo self and be relatable, compassionate and inspiring. You can use your voice in a number of ways to speak against injustice and speak to your right to exist. Whether it be expressing yourself through the words you use in your writing, the way you construct your social media you have more tools than you think to support your truer selves and your journey. This is a great time to affirm a newer identity enfolding; the least explored parts of yourself. It is especially nourishing, and enlightening to embrace the least addressed aspects of yourself and give them some attention, expression.