Constructive discussion on Two Spirit

[Trinity]

www.tiahouse.ca/joshua-whitehead-why-im-withdrawing-from-my-lambda-literary-award-nomination/#.WqqNBdO17Es.facebook

[Trinity]

Above article is meant just to start the convo.

I know nothing of the issues so I thought I'd give the issue a voice.

[Avery]

Thanks for starting this thread Trinity! That's a really interesting article.

For those who may not have seen my comment in a previous thread, I will paste it here:

The term Two Spirit is an indigenous term that can and should only be used by and for indigenous people. If you are indigenous then claim it proudly! (and let's talk about transness in ceremony - I don't know any other indigenous trans folk).

If you aren't indigenous though, I ask that you please please not use that term. It is an indigenous identity term and part of our culture. We have had so much taken from us.

[Becky]

Trinity, I'm so glad you posted this article and started the thread.

On a personal level, it has really helped with my own journey to know that non-binary people have not only been a component of some indigenous cultures, but that they have been a celebrated and even revered component of these cultures. It also makes it much easier to explain to cisgender folks that I'm not just following a recent internet fad for snowflakes.

All of that aside, it is important to know that trying to use a term like Two Spirit or Fa'afafine counts as cultural appropriation unless you are an indigenous person or a Samoan. After reading the article, I can absolutely see how two-spirit indigenous people have a different journey than many of us do. They have not been oppressed by their own people, they and their fellow people have been oppressed by Western culture.

I will add a tiny personal note here. I myself am a descendent of Chief Little Turtle, from the Miami tribe. After so many generations, there are only a few drops of indigenous blood in me, so I am not formally registered as a Miami. However, I love knowing that the Algonkian people (of whom the Miami were a subset) revered the wisdom and spirituality of boys who shunned the warrior ways of most men and followed the traditions of women instead. The term they use is "berdache." I'm not going to use it to describe myself, but it's a great solace when the dysphoria hits.

[Avery]

Came across this article today

www.bgdblog.org/2016/07/appropriating-two-spirit/