“A Buddhist Monk is someone who tries to share the Buddhist teachings with others.” –Kodo Nishimura

Born into a family of Buddhist priests and within a society that celebrates uniformity, Kodo Nishimura struggled with his identity as a child and adolescent; as someone who dreamed of wearing pretty dresses and becoming a Princess, he never felt he quite fit in with society’s patriarchal expectations. While his time in NYC at Parsons School of Design and his work as a leading make-up artist taught him to embrace his own uniqueness, he still felt called to return to Japan to study Buddhism and confront the anxieties he felt as a child.

During his Buddhist training, Kodo doubted whether it was right, or even possible, for him to become a monk as an openly LGBTQIA+ individual. However, when he spoke with his teachers, they reinforced to him that Buddhism teaches we are all equals and, in the same way that Buddhist teachers and doctors choose clothes according to their jobs, Kodo should express himself openly as a makeup artist and LGBTQIA+ rights activist.

Join Kodo for a chat as he dives into Buddhist teachings and shares Buddhism’s take on sexuality, inclusivity and self-identity, and how he is working to use his platform to add his unique voice and perspective to religious and secular conversations surrounding spirituality and LGBTQIA+ rights within the modern era.

This event is part of a series at Pantechnicon with Kodo Nishimura visiting from Tokyo to celebrate the launch of his book This Monk Wears Heels.

Tickets: £25, including a copy of the book, This Monk Wears Heels

Celebrity make-up artist and ordained Buddhist monk, Kodo Nishimura rose to fame following his appearance in Netflix series Queer Eye: We're in Japan. Recently named a TIME Magazine Next Generation Leader, Kodo has shared his journey to self-acceptance and love globally, speaking at the United Nations Population Fund Headquarters in NYC, Microsoft, Facebook, L’Oreal Paris, P&G, and numerous universities.