Gay Native Americans Rediscover 'Two-Spirit' Identity

[Kadie]

Gay Native Americans Rediscover 'Two-Spirit' Identity
News Feature, Shadi Rahimi,
Pacific News Service, Mar 17, 2005

Editor's Note: Young, gay American Indians are rediscovering tribal heritages that often revered "Two-Spirits," people who manifested both masculine and feminine traits.

SAN FRANCISCO--Gabriel Duncan, 18, sits before a table covered with rich desserts and salmon salad sandwiches, glancing calmly at the mostly-older faces staring back at him. A California Paiute in a Minor Threat sweatshirt and brown beaded necklace, Duncan is reading his poetry aloud for the first time.

"I'd like to discuss just why we're so disgusting," he recites. "Why we can't marry, and just why the word 'equality' is rusty."

Painting of woman hunter courtesy of BAAITS.

Like most of those gathered this evening at the San Francisco LGBT Community Center, Duncan is a member of Bay Area American Indian Two Spirits (BAAITS), a six-year-old nonprofit that offers support and activities to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Native Americans. Similar groups exist in Oklahoma, Colorado and Minnesota.

The term "Two-Spirit" refers to a belief among some tribes that there are people who manifest both masculine and feminine spiritual qualities. According to Native American scholars, many tribes once revered Two-Spirits, viewing them as a third gender with a special spiritual connectedness. In these tribes, Two-Spirits filled important tribal roles as counselors, storytellers and healers.

more...
http://news.pacificnews.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=c6282f67245b1e332c44332039f8e807

[knowbody0]

1. Two Spirits

a logical conclusion of the Creator's plan.

[undergroundpanther]

2. I think

two spiritedness is just the beginning..We all have unique spirits.
Our human bodies are but the thing we use to carry us around and sense this reality.

I myself am a panther spirit an androgyny..I don't identify as a gener or a human.

[arikara]

3. I read somewhere that some tribes accepted 7 genders

I guess that being heterosexual, homosexual, bi female and male, and hermaphrodites. But I don't remember where I read it, has anyone else heard of this? I've also heard that many tribes honoured homosexuals.