What does two-spirit mean?
Short Answer
Two-spirit is an identity used by some Indigenous North American people for those who fulfill a third-gender or two-gender spiritual and social role in their cultures. It is specific to Indigenous communities — it is not a term for non-Indigenous people.
The History
Before colonization, many Indigenous nations recognized more than two genders. People who embodied both masculine and feminine spirits held respected roles — healers, visionaries, mediators, caregivers. Colonizers and missionaries violently suppressed these traditions, imposing European gender norms.
The term "two-spirit" was adopted in 1990 at an Indigenous lesbian and gay conference in Winnipeg as a way to reclaim identity in English, since many Indigenous languages have their own terms (niizh manidoowag in Anishinaabemowin, etc.).
Key Points
- It's cultural, not just sexual: Two-spirit describes a spiritual and social role, not just same-gender attraction.
- Respect the specificity: Non-Indigenous queer people should not call themselves two-spirit.
- It's not a monolith: Different nations have different traditions, terms, and roles.
- Colonial harm continues: Two-spirit people face both homophobia and the ongoing effects of colonial violence, including disproportionate rates of violence and homelessness.
How to Support
- Learn about the specific two-spirit traditions of Indigenous nations near you.
- Support Indigenous-led organizations like the Two-Spirit Society and urban Indigenous LGBTQ+ programs.
- Acknowledge that queer history includes Indigenous gender diversity long before Western LGBTQ+ terminology existed.