The Two-Spirit, Aboriginal, and Native LGBTQ Community
The two-spirit and LGBTQ native and aboriginal communities exist around the world and are growing in prominence and influence.
Two-spirit individuals, being those who have both a masculine and feminine spirit, have existed as an alternative gender role in aboriginal and native societies for generations. Historically, native communities considered this trait as a gift - it was only on colonization that the concept was banished and a two-gender hierarchy was imposed. The two-spirit individual's role was to act as important spiritual and cultural advisors, teachers, religious leaders, and community builders within their tribes. They were considered more spiritually gifted, a reflection of the belief that the spirit of an individual is more important than the physical body.
Many of these individuals today are active in the creative and entertainment worlds, notably as writers, poets, playwrights, singers, and dancers. A number of them have successfully entered politics in their local communities and countries. All have been activists for their native traditions while also advocating acceptance and tolerance of the LGBTQ community as a whole.
The group has also established many regional activist organizations to represent them, including NativeOut and Dancing to the Eagle Spirit.
We have identified the following outstanding two-spirit, aboriginal, and native LGBTQ individuals:
- Evan Adams, Canada - medicine and actor
- Paula Gunn Allen, United States - poet
- Susan Allen, United States - politician
- Adelina Anthony, United States - artist
- Don Bemrose, Australia - opera singer
- Dameyon Bonson, Australia - activist
- Beth Brant, Canada - poet and writer
- Randy Burns, United States - activist
- Chrystos, United States - poet
- Deborah Cheetham, Australia - opera singer and playwright
- Tamati Coffey, New Zealand - politics, entertainment (television)
- Casey Conway, Australia - rugby player and model
- Michael Costello, Australia - HIV consultant
- Benjamin Cruz, Guam - politician and lawyer
- Cris Derksen, Canada - singer and musician
- Qwo-Li Driskill, United States - academic and poet
- Shaun Edwards, Australia - fashion designer, artist
- Waawaate Fobister, Canada - playwright
- Sydney Freeland, United States - filmmaker
- Jewelle Gomez, United States - writer
- Camryn Harlick, Canada - activist
- Angel Haze, United States - rapper and hip hop artist
- Bretten Hennam, Canada - filmmaker
- Rene Highway, Canada - actor
- Tomson Highway, Canada - playwright
- Leah Horlick, Canada - poet and writer
- Cheyenne Jackson, United States - actor
- Jack Jackson, United States - politician
- Mathias Jolly, Canada - writer
- Richard Lafortune, United States - activist
- Donna M. Loring, United States - journalist and politician
- Lee Maracle, Canada - academic, writer and poet
- Al McAffrey, United States - politician
- Albert McLeod, Canada - consultant
- Rahul Mehta, United States - writer
- Billy Merasty, Canada - actor and writer
- Damien Miller, Australia - Ambassador
- Kent Monkman, Canada - artist
- Daniel David Moses, Canada - poet, playwright, and academic
- Jason Mraz, United States - singer/songwriter
- Chansey Paech, Australia - politician
- Candy Palmater, Canada - comedian
- Tommy Pico, United States - poet
- Alan Polchies Jr., Canada - politics
- Heather Purser, United States - activist
- Chevi Rabbit, Canada - activist
- Santino Rice, United States - fashion designer
- Jack Saddleback, Canada - artist
- She King, Canada - pop singer
- Jock Soto, United States - dancer
- Teddy Syrette, Canada - activist
- Jenna Talackova, Canada - model
- Michael Tarko, Canada - academic
- Max Wolf Valerio, United States - poet
- Patricia Velasquez, Venezuela - model and actor
- Storme Webber, United States - poet
- We'wha, Mexico - activist
- Joshua Whitehead, Canada - poet, writer
- Massey Whiteknife, Canada - businessman and entertainer (Iceis Rain)
- Tuma Young, Canada - academic
Further Reading/Research
- http://people.ucalgary.ca/~ptrembla/aboriginal/two-spirited-american-indian-resources.htm
- http://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/oct/11/two-spirit-people-north-america
- http://nativeout.com/twospirit-rc/two-spirit-101/
- http://www.2spirits.com/index.html
- http://www.out.com/news-opinion/2015/9/22/inside-native-american-two-spirit-society
- https://lgbt.wisc.edu/documents/two-spirit-resource-directory-jan-2013.pdf