Yoga Forbids Homosexuality?

I run a little old media gone new media publication called elephant journal dot com. A week ago, I received one of the best/most interesting/most offensive/laughable/historically valid comments, like, ever.
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I run a little old media gone new media publication called elephant journal dot com. A week ago, I received one of the best/most interesting/most offensive/laughable/historically valid comments, like, ever:

I just discovered your website last night then today saw the story on the "most meaningful moment of the oscars". At that point I had to reject your site as having nothing to do with actual yoga.

Yoga calls for the regulation of the senses, above all the tongue and the genitals. The genitals are to be used in the ultimate sense for procreation. Homosexual sex has nothing to do with this whatsoever.

A yogi seeks their love in the absolute. Not in so called "love affairs" of this world. There are so many reasons why homosexual activity is rejected by true yogis that it is hard to know where to begin.

I hope that not too many innocent people are confused and persuaded by your pop culture, hedonistic brand of so-called yoga.

My reply:

Dear Brad,

Whether or not yoga forbids homosexuality is, to my mind, about as relevant as whether or not the Bible forbids homosexuality: Not. At. All.

The basic issue, I would hope you agree, is not about genitalia, but about every single human being being fundamentally good and possessed of basic human rights, such as the right to wed in matrimony (and divorce, but that's another story).

Anyway--thanks for the comment, and feel free to write an article for us expanding on your true understanding of yoga (which, up to 50 years ago, didn't allow women to practice).

PS: this whole discussion is only slightly stranger than the recent Fatwa declared on...yoga!

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