FORUM | HEAR OUR VOICES 53to dharma centers; it mirrors the larger
society. At the beginning of every retreat,
during the very first meal, we don’t yet
have the work practice assignments, so I
always have to ask for volunteers to do
the dishes. And I always make sure that
I bring in both men and women to do
that job, to make it very clear to everyone
that we are not perpetuating a gendered
division of labor. Part of our practice
is simply to challenge our pre-existing
views, the ones that come from growing
up in this society.
MYOKEI CAINE-BARRETT: If men object to
doing work they consider women’s work,
I generally tend to couch it as a training,
an opportunity for them to understand
what real service is about. Especially
when it comes to cleaning bathrooms,
men have to do that, precisely because
women are always doing it. I think mod-
eling is essential, so people can see that
women can do everything and also that
men are not the sole owners of status or
authority; they aren’t the only ones with
the capacity to teach and lead. Women
just do it differently. I don’t think we
have to act like men to be respected.
We’re all different. People who see a vari-
ety of styles and ways of holding leader-
ship roles will learn a great deal about
themselves as well, because they’ll have
different kinds of models to emulate.
MYOAN GRACE SCHIRESON: I wrote a
book about women ancestors—it shows
Modeling is essential, so people
can see that men are not the sole
owners of status or authority.
They aren’t the only ones with the
capacity to teach and lead.
—MYOKEI CAINE-BARRETTSATIMA TRUDY MITCHELL-GILKEY ZENKI MARY MOCINETENKU RUFFMARCIA ROSE SUSAN PIVERMARTINE BATCHELOR