So I thought I would do this extra cool blog post since I talked about transgendered violence earlier and we are going to be talking about GLBTQ violence next week. Last week I went to the Native American Film Fest here in Moscow and watched the documentary "Two-Spirits".
For those of you who don't know, Two-Spirits is the english term that encompasses many different tribal beliefs and genders. However, since Two-Spirit beliefs sometimes differ and don't always have english equivalent words tribes from North America, Central, and South America, came together to create this great term to encompass of the gender identities under one umbrella. Two-spirits also fall under the larger umbrella of Transgendered as well.
Anyways, to the point. Two-spirits are generally revered individuals in a tribe that identify as something other than the "Masculine Man" and the "Feminine Woman". In Navajo, which is the tribe the documentary focused on, they had two other genders: the "Masculine Woman" and the "Feminine Man". These individuals usually held a great place of honor in some tribal societies. However, when Europeans arrived with their rigid binary gender system they worked to eliminate Native Two-Spirits because it was "wrong" and "unnatural". How is rigid binary system of gender natural when there is so much more!?!?
Anyways, now today we have lost a respect for everyone from other gender identities and especially those who are Two-Spirit. These prejudices that our society often holds not only affects the self esteem of Two-Spirit individuals, but also affects their relationships with their community, interpersonal relationships, and inevitably, domestic violence.
Dr. LaFortune, a Two-Spirit Scholar, was in the documentary and actually came to the showing to talk to us about Two-Spirit issues. He brought up a fact about how Two-Spirit men and women are often times victims of DV from people who are generally not Native. This of course rang with the inner researcher in me and I had to look up statistics and more info! What I found was this great site: Two-Spirits.com and these Domestic Violence Circles specifically for Two-Spirit Peoples:
(I was hoping to be able to post these as pictures, but they're in PDF form so I can't, so do me a favor and look at them, ok?)
For Two-Spirit Men:
http://www.2spirits.com/DomViolenceFactSheetMen.pdf
and for Two-Spirit Women:
http://www.2spirits.com/DomViolenceFactSheet.pdf
The interesting thing that differs these DV wheels from other wheels is that it has a spiritual DV part. It includes partners that put down your spirituality, your rituals (or prevents you from doing so), and so on and so forth.
Also, on both Two-Spirit fact sheets it shows that over 60% of Two-Spirit men and Women have experienced homophobia/transphobia and have felt judged or unnaccepted in a counseling environment. This is why it is extremely important that we learn about these issues facing all people and particularly Two-Spirit and Transgendered people. How can you, or I, learn to help someone if we are not culturally and personally sensitive to a persons issues?
Dr. LaFortune mentioned that Two-Spirits are barely a footnote in the large Transgendered community. He and I both agree that they should be more than that. That is one reason I am posting this. Also, I want to work the LGBTQ Youth sometime in my future and might come across someone who is Two-Spirit. For those of you who are interested as I am in transgendered issues and Two-Spirit folks I definitely recommend the site listed above and watching the documentary "Two Spirits". You can find it at twospirits.org
As always I would love to hear your questions or comments whether on here or on FB!!
-Alex
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