Jainism isn’t some exclusive, members-only club. At its core, this faith rejects hierarchies, insists the soul(jīva) transcends material distinctions, and demands radical nonviolence (ahiṃsā). These principleswere never meant to prop up oppressive norms; they were meant to dismantle them.
Yet, over the centuries—through colonialinfluence, Brahmanical patriarchy, caste-based discrimination, and capitalist pressures—many Jain institutions have strayedfrom this liberatory essence. They often exclude queer and trans people, ignore caste injustices, and reduce ahiṃsā to a narrow question of personal diet. This is not “tradition.” It’s a distortion.
Jain Scripture Recognizes Gender-Fluidity
For anyone claiming Jainism only acknowledges two genders, thescriptures say otherwise:
- Tattvārtha Sūtra (2.8)
“The soulis formless, beginningless, and unconditioned by material distinctions.”
If the soul itself has no gender, why would Jaininstitutions cling to binary norms?
- Uttarādhyayana Sūtra (9.49)
Souls cycle through male, female, and napuṃsaka (nonbinary or mixed-gender) forms across lifetimes.
This is not a modern innovation; it’s fundamental to Jain philosophy.
- BhagavatīSūtra (7.9)
Describes beings that embody both masculine and feminine traits simultaneously.
Clearly, Jain texts never insisted on a rigid gender binary. They acknowledge identity as fluid and ever-changing.
When contemporary communities claim queerness is a “Western import,” they’re ignoring their ownscriptural heritage.
How Colonialism and Brahmanical Norms Hijacked Jainism
Theexclusion of queer, trans, and other marginalized groups within Jain circles didn’t happen spontaneously. It’s the resultof overlapping historical forces:
- British Colonialism Colonial administrations imposed strictbinary gender norms, policing sexuality and criminalizing queer behavior. Jain communities—like many others—internalizedthese oppressive frameworks, often mistaking them for “tradition.”
- Brahmanical Patriarchy Jainism originally challenged caste-based oppression and patriarchal structures. Yet, over centuries, cultural blending andsocial pressures led many Jain communities to adopt the very hierarchies they were supposed to oppose.
- Capitalist and Elite Pressures Obsession with wealth, status, and “respectability” has made some Jaininstitutions more interested in social clout than spiritual integrity. Queer and lower-caste Jains suffer the brunt of thatexclusion.
In short, a once-radical tradition that preached equality and nonviolence has too often devolved into agatekeeper of normative respectability.
AhiṃsāIs More Than a DietPlan
Many Jains reduce ahiṃsā to personal dietary choices—vegetarianism or veganism. Whilethese can be valid expressions of nonviolence, ahiṃsā demands so much more:
- Social andEmotional Violence Excluding queer and trans Jains from rituals or forcing them into heteronormative marriages isviolence, plain and simple. Recognizing harm isn’t limited to physical acts.
- Caste and ClassOppression If ahiṃsā truly means no harm, then tolerating systemic poverty, caste-baseddiscrimination, or exploitative labor is hypocritical. You can’t call yourself nonviolent while ignoring structural abuses.
- Environmental Destruction Jain ethics warn against parigraha (attachment), yet many wealthyJain donors invest in industries that ravage the planet. That is not nonviolence; it’s complicity in large-scale harm.
“All living beings wish to live. None should be harmed.”
—ĀcārāṅgaSūtra (1.2.3)
If we take this seriously, we must dismantle every institution, norm, and system thatperpetuates suffering—even when it’s not as simple as changing what’s on our plate.
How do wemove forward?
(a) Demand Institutional Accountability
- Inclusive Leadership:Temples, monastic orders, and community boards must open their ranks to queer and trans Jains—not as a token gesture, but asequal leaders and decision-makers.
- Overhaul Gender Norms: Dismantle gender-segregated rituals andpatriarchal language that contradict the belief in a genderless soul.
(b) Build Alternative Spaces
- Lay-LedSanghas: Form local or virtual study groups that interpret Jainteachings through a justice-oriented lens.
- Queer-Affirming Rituals: Conduct ceremonies that honordiverse identities, including those historically erased or sidelined.
- Intersectional Activism: LinkJain principles with anti-caste, anti-capitalist, and environmental movements to foster real change.
(c)Refuse Any Compromise on Inclusion
- If mainstream institutions won’t change, start new communities.That’s not a betrayal of Jainism—it’s a return to its original spirit.
- Recall that any Jain practiceexcluding marginalized people isn’t actually Jain—it’s a hollow performance of it.
The Danger of Hindutva and Capitalist Co-Optation
Right-wing nationalism (Hindutva) tries to subsume
Jain identity under a majoritarian, anti-minority agenda. That’s a direct contradiction of Jainism’s core ethics.Similarly, unchecked capitalism exploits both humans and the environment, clashing with the Jain ideals of non-harm and moderation.
- Reject Hindutva: If you value nonviolence, you can’t support an ideology that demonizesMuslims, Dalits, or other marginalized groups.
- Question Capitalism: If you believe in non-attachment,you must oppose the glorification of billionaires and profit-at-any-cost policies.
Jainism should be an ally of theoppressed, not an accomplice to their oppression.
A Jainism Worth Fighting For
Today,Jain communities stand at a crossroads: either they live up to the radical potential of their own scriptures, or they continue hidingbehind a distorted notion of “tradition” that serves the powerful. Ahiṃsā isn’t a privatevirtue; it’s a revolutionary ethic demanding we uproot all forms of violence—physical, emotional, structural, economic.
Jain philosophy says the soul is infinite, unbounded by gender. To deny anyone’s spiritual worth because of their genderidentity or sexual orientation is heresy against the faith’s most basic tenets. We can either push existing institutions toreform or create new, inclusive communities ourselves.
Ultimately, Jainism belongs to everyone who recognizes that nobeing’s suffering is acceptable. If you claim to follow this tradition yet won’t stand by the queer, the trans, theDalit, the laborer, the exploited—then admit you’re not practicing ahiṃsā.
Because real Jainismis about fighting harm in all its forms. It’s about challenging every system that profits from another’s pain. It’sabout living with integrity, not just reciting ancient verses.
**That’s the Jainism worth defending.**Let’s honor that—or stop pretending this faith still stands for liberation.
For further reading, I recommend Jainism-Says.