Racism in yoga

Yoga as exercise is a worldwide practice for health, reduced stress, and physical flexibility. It has roots in India, but since its introduction to the West has become predominantly an activity for white women, taught by white women. Most American chain yoga studios are in wealthy white metropolitan areas. This raises the question of racism in the practice; British Asian and Indian-American yoga teachers have described their experiences in mainly-white yoga studios. Meanwhile in India, prime minister Narendra Modi has been described as forwarding a Hindu nationalist agenda with his International Day of Yoga. Yoga teachers such as Simran Uppal advocate an intentional anti-racist yoga; groups specifically for nonwhite participants have been created both in Britain and in the United States.

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