https://padlet.com/aarmstrong0031/aze6aztk11ryxson en-us 2022-10-18 13:50:22 UTC 2026-01-22 20:18:10 UTC hello@padlet.com aarmstrong0031 https://padlet.com/aarmstrong0031/aze6aztk11ryxson/wish/2352909279 The term Two-Spirit was coined in 1990. It's a modern umbrella term, an English translation of the Ojibwe "niizh manidoowag," which refers to a person who embodies both masculine and feminine spirits. Today, Two-Spirit people use the term to describe fluid gender identities and sexual orientation, but their ancestors also took on important social and spiritual roles in their respective Indigenous communities prior to European colonization of North America starting in 1492.]]> 2022-10-24 03:19:57 UTC https://padlet.com/aarmstrong0031/aze6aztk11ryxson/wish/2352909279 aarmstrong0031 https://padlet.com/aarmstrong0031/aze6aztk11ryxson/wish/2352911772

As colonization continued, the suppression and subjugation of Two-Spirit people began

Starting with the Spanish in the early 16th century

• Targeted Two-Spirit people with labels like "sodomite," "hermaphrodite," "berdache," and more
  • Labels were very harmful and were a form of violence
  • Shaped how archival records were written
  • Distorted how non-Native people interpreted Indigenous sexual expression and gender fluidity 
• Observation made by Pedro Fages, Spanish soldier and explorer, stating that men "in the dress, clothing, and character of women - there being two or three such in each village - [who] pass as sodomites by profession."

Physical violence was also a feature of European encounters with Two-Spirit people

• Sometimes would rise to the level of genocide
• Because of the fact Two-Spirit individuals were, and still are, knowledge keepers, Europeans were actively destroying a vital a link in the cultural, social, and linguistic knowledge of nearly 200 Native American communites

Western ideals of the gender binary, homophobia, and transphobia were pushed onto Indigenous people

• Especially at boarding schools, residential schools, and other Christian institution
  • Indigenous children were forced to assimilate to Christian beliefs and values
• Gender variance outside of the Western binary was punished severly
• So heteronormative and cisnormative gender roles and views were forced upon Indigenous communities

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Name means "Finds Them and Kills Them"

A baté 

• Crow word for someone assigned male at birth who is a woman
• There were multiple batés in this community

Held an esteemed position in her society

Took on both traditionally male and female roles

• Excelled at both

Also known for her ferocity in battle

In the late 1890s, a federal agent, Agent Briskow, came onto Crown territory to try to enforce European values

• He gathered as many baté as he could find, and forced them to conform to European values
  • Cut their hair into the style of masculine European haircuts
  • Dress as European men would
  • Forced them into manual labor
• This was stripping away gender and culture

Osh-Tisch's community stood behind her

• The Chief managed to force the agent into resignation and made him leave their land

Unfortunately, European societal norms all but took over

• Osh-Tisch was known as one of the last baté for a long time

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Decolonization and re-Indigenization of gender and sexual identity in recent years

• More and more spaces are being opened for people looking to be in community with other Indigenous people who share and respect their gender and sexual identity
• Two-Spirit organizations, powwows, and events are becoming more common
• Many spaces that have continued to remain traditional are beginning to recognize genders outside the binary as being traditional
  • Are beginning to reintegrate spaces for Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer, and gender non-conforming people

University of Winnipeg, 2019

• Hosted a conference, Calls to Conversation
  • Goal of having Two-Spirit and queer and/ or trans people of color to come together to build relationships and have conversations about their lived experiences

Expressing Indigenous gender variance and sexuality is recognizing Indigenous life ways and roles that were taken away during colonization

• Act of decolonization

Reclaiming Indigenous identities is both personally and communally fulfilling 

• Indigenous communities are missing spaces and roles traditionally held by Two-Spirit individuals
• Reintegration of gender and sexual variance, and the roles held by those expressing them, is important to the progress of Indigenous people and their communities

Through writings, songs, stories, art, and ceremony created by Native American elders throughout history, Two-Spirit people continue to reclaim and renew their place in Native communities

]]> 2022-10-24 03:23:19 UTC https://padlet.com/aarmstrong0031/aze6aztk11ryxson/wish/2352912596 aarmstrong0031 https://padlet.com/aarmstrong0031/aze6aztk11ryxson/wish/2352913107 https://the-pigeon.ca/2020/11/23/resistance-and-reclamation/

https://www.natifs.org/blog/two-spirit/

https://news.vcu.edu/article/2022/04/for-centuries-two-spirit-people-had-to-carry-out-traditions-in-secret

https://xtramagazine.com/power/meet-the-two-spirit-people-fighting-to-be-included-in-canadas-reconciliation-process-77916

https://www.kqed.org/arts/13845330/5-two-spirit-heroes-who-paved-the-way-for-todays-native-lgbtq-community

https://www.hrc.org/news/two-spirit-and-lgbtq-idenitites-today-and-centuries-ago

https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/wewha

https://www.abbemuseum.org/attending-artists-profiles/geo-soctomah-neptune]]> 2022-10-24 03:23:53 UTC https://padlet.com/aarmstrong0031/aze6aztk11ryxson/wish/2352913107 aarmstrong0031 https://padlet.com/aarmstrong0031/aze6aztk11ryxson/wish/2358086283

Two-Spirit individuals held important ceremonial, political, and spiritual roles in their communities

• Gathered medicines, made art, went to war, and served as advisors
• Held in very high esteem

Gender and sexual variance were both common and usually well-respected within many Indigenous communities

 Around of 2/3 of 200 well recorded Indigenous languages spoken in North America have term for people who are neither men nor women

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A Lhamana individual

• Zuni Two-Spirit

Assigned male at birth

• Community members recognized them as  Lhamana at an early age

Took on both male and female tasks 

•  Zuni cultural ambassador
• Pottery and textile artist
• Spiritual leader

Participated in a delegation in Washington, D.C.

Met President Grover Cleveland

Assisted with ethnographic research for the Smithsonian National Museum 

Raised awareness about the Zuni in an effort to secure government assistance 

Left behind a profound legacy

]]> 2022-10-27 00:21:07 UTC https://padlet.com/aarmstrong0031/aze6aztk11ryxson/wish/2358138710 aarmstrong0031 https://padlet.com/aarmstrong0031/aze6aztk11ryxson/wish/2358268423 2022-10-27 01:58:56 UTC https://padlet.com/aarmstrong0031/aze6aztk11ryxson/wish/2358268423 aarmstrong0031 https://padlet.com/aarmstrong0031/aze6aztk11ryxson/wish/2358268803 2022-10-27 01:59:14 UTC https://padlet.com/aarmstrong0031/aze6aztk11ryxson/wish/2358268803 aarmstrong0031 https://padlet.com/aarmstrong0031/aze6aztk11ryxson/wish/2358274390 2022-10-27 02:03:38 UTC https://padlet.com/aarmstrong0031/aze6aztk11ryxson/wish/2358274390 aarmstrong0031 https://padlet.com/aarmstrong0031/aze6aztk11ryxson/wish/2360072866

Passamaquoddy Two-Spirit

Master basket maker

• They work with youth to preserve cultural arts by teaching basket weaving across Maine

Activist

• Participated in Idle No More protests in Maine
  • Invited as the first Indigenous youth delegate to the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, 2016

Storyteller

Model

Drag queen

• First drag queen to be on the cover of Native Peoples magazine, 2016

Educator

Became the first openly Two-Spirit person to be elected into public office in Maine, 2020

• Spread awareness about political and social issue impacting Indigenous people

They hope to inspire other Two-Spirit to accept their truth

• Travels across the state and country educating people about Wabanaki history and culture, and what it means to them to be a Two-Spirit

]]> 2022-10-28 03:43:27 UTC https://padlet.com/aarmstrong0031/aze6aztk11ryxson/wish/2360072866 aarmstrong0031 https://padlet.com/aarmstrong0031/aze6aztk11ryxson/wish/2360079526 2022-10-28 03:50:37 UTC https://padlet.com/aarmstrong0031/aze6aztk11ryxson/wish/2360079526