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As a fanatic of America's Next Top Model, I was overjoyed when I found out there was a Canada's Next Top Model. Guess what? They even have a Native girl! Watch Dawn turn it out in this first episode of Canada's Next Top Model? Wanna be on TOP???!
Continue reading "Canada's Next Top Model: Featuring Native Diva!" »
Coming out is the process of personally accepting your sexuality and disclosing it to yourself, family, co-workers and friends. Coming out is different for every gay or bisexual person since there are varying degrees of sexuality (see Kinsey Scale) and the circumstances that surround our lifestyles differ.
...when you realize you're not alone anymore.
-The following humor page has been deemed innappropriate for a community owned website.-
The NorthEast Two-Spirit Society wants to apologize wholeheartedly if the words that were written on this post offended anyone. They were written by a young active member who is Two-Spirit. In his words, "90% of the things I wrote applied to me, I thought I would share some of my humor. I'm sorry if it was offensive-and will not post like that again on this site."
Mainly, our decision to remove this post came when our elder Kent Lebsock decided that it would not be appropriate and could cause too much offense. As a group which tries to walk a Red Road, we listened to our elder and decided to remove it as soon as possible. The purpose of this website is to share information we have learned and promote a sense of community on the World Wide Web. We thank Curtis Harris for his support and take it seriously when he asks for a constructive dialogue with Mr. LaFortune and Dr. Thomas as well as any other active Two-Spirit advocates.
Saturday Oct. 14th @ 7pm Indian-time, 7 two-spirits got together to watch Hallmark Film's Dreamkeeper. Everyone loved the movie and enjoyed Othell's recipe for Navajo frybread even more. Thanks to all who came and brought food. See you at the next event!
NE2SS ran a post on Bo Young's work to promote the Two-Spirit movement. Read the whole text here.
A reader,nehi katawasisiw, pipikisis cree nation, commented to this quote:
Young insists that from a gay and lesbian point of view, there is a "prima facie racism" in saying that people can't do this because they are white. He finds it distressing that spirituality is something that strengthens individuals and communities, yet there are Native American Two-Spirits, "who would deny gay brothers and sisters access to a history, to a tradition that would empower us all." By some accounts, Young would fall into the "Non-Native" category.
with a letter addressed to Bo Young...
Tansi,
Perhaps the source of the rift of which you write comes from the fact that white people are, through treating Two Spirit traditions as up for grabs, trying to claim a culturally specific tradition and history surrounding spirituality & sexuality (i.e.: two spirit) as their own (that is, to colonize it) when it is not.
Two Spirit is not simply an indicator of "sexual orientation"; it is not an umbrella term---it has as much specificity and particularity as Cree, Saulteaux, Asini-pwat, Dine, Innu, Salish, Spokane, Tohono O'odham, et al all do. All of which contain their own discrete identities, separate from European identities.
more
A Spirit of Belonging, Inside and Out
October 8, 2006
By JOHN LELAND
SEELEY LAKE, Mont.
ALISTAIR BANE went to his first weekend gathering five months ago and was so nervous that he barely participated. By the time of his second, last month, he had sewn his own outfit and was comfortable enough to dance in the powwow and the drag show.
“This has been a big thing for me,” said Mr. Bane, who is a mixed-blood Eastern Shawnee. “If somebody had talked to me when I was 16 and said people like me were once respected, my life might have been different.”
(Brian Rainforth, left, and Raven E. Heavy Runner at the Two-Spirit Gathering in Montana. Mr. Rainforth is Klamath; Mr. Heavy Runner is Blackfeet - Picture from Lynn Donaldson of The New York Times.)
Singer/Songwriter Roger Kuhn is an enrolled member of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. He moved to New York from North Dakota to pursue all of life's pleasure which for him include music (his CD, Proof, is available
on iTunes and cdbaby.com), dance, activism and holistic health. 
Roger serves as the Social Director for the North East Two Spirit Society and is an active member of the Native community in New York. To find out more about Roger please visit his website at World Of Roger Kuhn
Originally posted on Advocate.com on Nov. 15, 2005. Written by Kevin VanWanseele for Advocate Online. There are over 20 different websites which picked this story up and reprinted it. It just goes to show, if you're Indian and have something to say, WRITE! There are not enough of us documenting our history. Pick up a pen, boot up Microsoft Word, or even crank up the video camera. A-HO!
A life of two spirits
I’ve been
thinking a lot lately about what it means to be a gay man
and native American. We were once revered on the
reservation. Can we find the same respect again?
(Read the whole article here.)
