As June is Pride Month and Indigenous History Month; it’s the ideal time to discover some incredible Two-Spirit creators, artists and activists from across North America whose work you can follow, support and share.
Before reading any further; it’s critical to understand that Two-Spirit identity is exclusively Indigenous and should never be co-opted as a self-imposed expression of generalized spirituality for straight people to latch onto; yes, I’ve seen this, nor is it a term that applies to non-Indigenous LGBTQ+ people. Consider this your friendly reminder that any kind of cultural appropriation is offensive and unacceptable.
Typically referring to someone who possesses both feminine and masculine spirit; this distinctly complex and nuanced identity includes a traditional history of highly regarded spiritual, ceremonial and social importance within Indigenous societies. While Two-Spirit people belong to the full range of sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions found within the LGBTQ+ community; not every Native or First Nations LGBTQ+ person is Two-Spirit, nor is it synonymous with being trans (although some are).
As a staunch ally of LGBTQ2S+ communities; I’m not the person who should be explaining what it means to be Two-Spirit (my straight, White voice is not needed here). If you want to know more, and I sincerely hope you do; please take the time to explore this by watching the video below. You’ll learn from Geo Soctomah Neptune (they/them), a Passamaquoddy Two-Spirit master basket maker, activist, storyteller, model, and educator as they delve a little deeper into its meaning.
Further information is linked at the end of this post to help you become more aware of the history of how settler-colonial violence sought to enforce rigid Westernized/Christian gender binary roles on Indigenous nations. Two-Spirit people continue facing prejudice and pushback from society (including some from within their own communities); reclaiming their spiritual and sacred traditions is an arduous road to travel, especially when their way of being was almost stolen from them.
For now though, let’s celebrate Pride Month by learning about some incredibly talented, interesting and inspiring Two-Spirit people …
Rebecca Nagle (she/her) | Cherokee Nation | Journalist, writer and advocate focused on advancing Native rights and ending violence against Native women; in 2020 she won an American Mosiac Journalism Prize in recognition of her groundbreaking podcast This Land (season 2 coming Aug 2023).
Joshua Whitehead (he/him) | Oji-nêhiyaw member of Peguis First Nation | Writer, academic and poet whose book ‘Jonny Appleseed’ won the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate, lecturer, and Killam scholar at the University of Calgary where he studies Indigenous literatures and cultures with a focus on gender and sexuality. His latest book ‘Making Love With The Land’ will be available Aug 23rd 2022.
Chrystos (they/them) | Menominee | A lecturer, writer and activist who has published various books and poems that explore themes around feminism and Native/Indigenous rights.
Adelina Anthony (she/her) | Xicana from the Payaya Territories in San Antonio, TX | Independent filmmaker and co-founder of AdeRisa Productions which is dedicated to producing bold, entertaining and educational LGBTQ2S+ POC films with an emphasis on Xicana/o/x, Chicanx, Mexican and Latinx stories.
Mel Beaulieu (they/them) | Mi’kmaw Metepenagiag First Nation and French | A contemporary beadwork creator who designs and makes artwork as a reminder that Indigenous cultures are not relics.
Geronimo Louie (he/him)| Chiricahua Apache and Diné | Advocate, fashion designer and TikTok Creator who specializes in embracing his cultural identity and traditions; including creating ribbon skirts, ribbon shirts and traditional outfits.
Patrick Hunter (he/him) | Ojibway from Red Lake, Ontario | A Woodland style painter and graphic designer who incorporates nature, trees, animals and other Indigenous imagery into his work.
Special mention goes to Delina White (she/her), Leech Lake Band of Objibwe who despite not being Two-Spirit herself, specializes in creating Indigenous, gender-fluid clothing for the LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirit Native communities. Her work mixes traditionally Indigenous materials with contemporary fabrics and reflects Anishinaabe/Ojibwe history.
Pride Month and Indigenous History Month provide a notable opportunity to celebrate people from various communities. It’s encouraging to highlight Native/First Nations and LGBTQ2S+ people and the organizations that support them; but to truly honour the inclusivity they teach us, this kind of advocacy, love and respect needs to happen every single day.
How are you celebrating Pride Month and Indigenous History Month this year?
Further Info:
Pride Means Knowing LGBTQ History — Including That of Indigenous Two-Spirit People – NBC Think
transatlantic | notes 
Thank you for writing such an informative and respectful post! I’ve learned so much in this post! I love how certain aboriginal communities give high honour to 2 spirited members – so refreshing!
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It is wonderful to see Two-Spirit people get celebrated; I think it’s great to see more people learning about this important part of Indigenous life. Thanks so much for reading!
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This was an incredibly informative post, thank you so much. I wasn’t familiar with the term Two-Spirit before reading this but I’m going to be watching that video you provided shortly to learn more.
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It’s something many haven’t heard of or, if they have, it’s often been co-opted/used in the wrong way by (non-Indigenous) people. It’s lovely to celebrate Two-Spirit this Pride Month and the video really helps break what it means down. Thanks for reading!
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I did not know any of these artists so, this post was very informative. Art is a universal language and it speaks better to you when you are willing to explore new perspectives.
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It certainly connects us in so many wonderful ways — thanks for reading!
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This is a wonderful and informative post. I didn’t know much about indigenous people and to see two-spirit people get celebrated. Thank you for sharing.
Lauren x
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Thank you so much for taking the time to read this!
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Thank you for sharing this. I’d embarrassed to say that I didn’t know what two-spirit was despite seeing it all over TikTok. It’s great that you’re highlighting people within the Native American community.
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There are some wonderful Two-Spirit educators and creators on TikTok (much like Geronimo Louie) so it’s good to know a bit more about them; thank you so much for taking the time to read this!
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Because I’m British born and bred, I’ve never really heard of the two-spirit identify of indigenous North Americans. So thank you for educating me on the topic
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I’m glad this was useful; thank you for taking the time to read it!
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Great post Molly! I learned so much and I also loved the video that you shared. I’m super inspired by the lovely individuals in this post. I love Patrick Hunter’s work, especially his print ‘Lakeside Dreams for Two.’ I love the blend of nature and vibrant colors. Thank you for sharing!
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I agree with you; Hunter’s work is incredible! I’m so glad you discovered these incredible people and the work they do!
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This was a great opportunity for me to think further about what “Two Spirit” means. I’ve thankfully not heard a straight person coopt this term, but now I have a little more vocabulary and knowledge to respond if I do.
I’m excited about the authors on your list and look forward to exploring their titles 🙂
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I am so thankful that you read this and saw the opportunity to respond if/when you see someone co-opting it. I have seen a few straight, White women use it to express their spirituality (obviously not understanding it at all) but these are the types of people who tend to appropriate from other cultures quite a lot. Thanks for reading!
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Great post. Learnt so much about two spirit. Never heard of it before. Going to check out these individuals’ work. Thank you for sharing this important post.
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I am so happy that this was useful and helped you find some incredible people to follow/support!
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Great post. This was very insightful and informative. I don’t no much about Indigenous people and never heard of Two-Spirited. Will check out the video. Thanks for sharing and educating me today.
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I am glad that you found this post informative; there are so many wonderful Two-Spirit people to follow/support during this month (and all months)! Thanks for reading!
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Thank you for sharing this.
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You’re welcome!
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