June is LGBT Pride Month and as we have shared in the past, although there are Two Spirit and LGBT members within Native communities, they are often apprehensive to come out due to societal standards. As one source has provided, “Within Tribal communities, family is important, and within most Native families, we know someone who is Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Too often, rejection of Two Spirit / LGBT community members by families, peers, and the community breaks families apart and tears at the social fabric of our community.” (1)
This year NICOA wants to celebrate LGBT Pride Month by sharing some information on Two Spirit and LGBT Natives that are not only out and proud, but making a significant difference in their communities. GLSEN has a great article called Native American Heroes of the LGBT Community, so we wanted to share some of their information by highlighting two Native Elders that were included in the article:
Susan Allen
During the 2018 election season, we have seen a significant increase in Natives running for political office. As Indian Country Today states, this election cycle has “more Native Americans running for Congress or to lead state governments than ever before.” (2) One amazing Native woman who is already a politician and member of the Minnesota House of Representative is Susan Allen, who is Lakota and a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. Not only is she the first Native American woman to serve in the Minnesota Legislature, but she is also the first openly lesbian Native to win an election to a state legislature. (3) She has also been a “strong advocate for reducing discrimination and gaps in equality for Native people.” (4)
Chrystos
Another amazing Native LGBT Elder is Chrystos, who self-identifies as an urban Indian, Menominee, and two-spirit. Chrystos is a self-educated writer and two-spirit activist, and has many awards and honors including, “a National Endowment for the Arts grant, the Human Rights Freedom of Expression Award, the Sappho Award of Distinction from the Astrea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, a Barbara Deming Grant, and the Audre Lorde International Poetry Competition.” Chrystos work focuses on fighting against injustices and for land and treaty rights for Native communities, dispelling Native stereotypes, and advocating for and empowering Natives to reconnect to their heritage and culture. (5)
Learn More
To learn more, please read GLSEN’s full article about more Native American Heroes of the LGBT Community by visiting https://www.glsen.org/sites/default/files/NAHM_heroes.pdf
Sources
- Native American Program of Legal Aid Services of Oregon, Indigenous Ways of Knowing Program at Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling, Western States Center, & Pride Foundation and Basic Rights Oregon. (2013). Tribal equity toolkit 2.0: tribal resolutions and codes to support Two Spirit & LGBT justice in Indian country. Retrieved June 12, 2018, from http://graduate.lclark.edu/programs/indigenous_ways_of_knowing/tribal_equity_toolkit/
- Trahant, M. (2018, April 30). #NativeVote18: ‘100 And Growing’ Native Candidates Seeking Early Votes – IndianCountryToday.com. Retrieved June 12, 2018, from https://newsmaven.io/indiancountrytoday/news/nativevote18-100-and-growing-native-candidates-seeking-early-votes-kZa7BYJN7E-0YEBV7X8BwQ
- Susan Allen. (2018, June 11). Retrieved June 12, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Allen
- GLSEN. (n.d.). Native American Heritage Month. Retrieved June 12, 2018, from https://www.glsen.org/sites/default/files/NAHM_heroes.pdf
- Chrystos. (2018, June 10). Retrieved June 12, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrystos
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