ABSTRACT
Buddhist practice has interacted with American culture and values to create new varieties of American Buddhism. By examining the attitude of traditional Buddhist cultures toward Queer Kinship people and same-sex friendship and sexuality and looking at Buddhist ways of relating to others, it is possible to see how Buddhism can be a positive part of other lesbigay couples’ lives. Queer couples seem more free to be individuals in relationships, rather than inseparable halves of a whole. In contrast to homosexual sex, same-sex friendship and companionship were highly valued in Buddhist culture. The privileging of those who renounce social forms and obligations is not unique to Buddhism but has deep roots in Indian society. The Buddhist monks and nuns were pledged to celibacy. Consequently, Asian Buddhist societies have never seen the murderous persecution of Queers that is found in the West.
