Latest news with #TwoSpirit
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Phoenix Indian Center holds annual Rainbow Gathering for Two Spirit LGBTQIA+ community
The Phoenix Indian center hosted its annual Southwest American Indian 2SLGBTQIA+ Rainbow Gathering on June 12, 2025, at South Mountain Community College. Photo by Shondiin Silversmith | Arizona Mirror In a time of uncertainty and continuous attacks on the rights of LGBTQ+ people in Arizona and beyond, the Phoenix Indian Center wanted to offer the community a safe space for individuals to share resources and stories that highlighted Indigenous experiences. 'Visibility is more important now than ever before,' said Levi Long, a communications specialist with the Phoenix Indian Center, due to the ongoing attacks on the rights of this community. For many Indigenous people, the acronym primarily used is 2SLGBTQIA+, which includes Two Spirit people. The term Two Spirit acknowledges the traditional roles and identities of Indigenous people who lived outside the binary of male and female within many Indigenous communities, and is an identity that predates the colonization of North America. Two Spirit Diné trans woman Trudie Jackson has been a prominent advocate for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community for decades and is an Indigenous scholar with research and work that focuses on the Two Spirit community. When she placed the 2S before LGBTQIA+, she said she had people constantly trying to correct her. 'Two Spirit existed before colonization and the Stonewall Riot,' Jackson said. 'My ancestors were here before the colonizers.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX President Donald Trump's administration has pushed anti-2SLGBTQIA+ policies since he took office, including a rollback on health care services, implementing policies recognizing only two genders and banning trans people from the military and playing sports. In Arizona, several officials have pushed the same rhetoric by introducing and advancing a slate of anti-2SLGBTQIA+ bills, including a sweeping anti-trans 'biological sex' bill that Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed in April. At the Phoenix Indian Center, Long said that they are very intentional with centering Indigiqueer voices, especially in a time of uncertainty with the political landscape and the consistent challenges to their rights. He said he hopes that more organizations from the Indigenous community will step up for their 2SLGBTQIA+ relatives to let them know that there are safe spaces for them — and they're not going anywhere. The center hosted its annual Southwest American Indian 2SLGBTQIA+ Rainbow Gathering on June 12 at South Mountain Community College, providing a safe space for Indigenous people to share resources and stories. The theme for this year's Rainbow Gathering was 'Weaving Tradition: Past, Present and Future for Native People.' The Phoenix Indian Center is the oldest nonprofit organization serving the Indigenous community in the United States, offering a range of services including workforce development, peer support and youth development. Phoenix Indian Center CEO Jolyana Begay-Kroupa said the Rainbow Gathering is always rooted in Indigenous teachings of respect and a space that honors 2SLGBTQIA+ relatives as sacred healers, leaders and community caretakers. 'This gathering celebrates this diversity that weaves our Indigenous community together and makes us collectively stronger,' she said, adding that it's essential to look at the cultural teachings to guide the framework for a future that ensures all Indigenous people can thrive and have access to equitable lives. 'We gather here right now to find strength, to find solidarity and weave a stronger fabric so that we can hold on together,' Begay-Kroupa said. The gathering featured multiple speakers from the 2SLGBTQIA+ Indigenous community, who focused on topics related to Two Spirit health care, the history of Two Spirit people within Indigenous communities, body image, personal experiences and resources available. One experience shared during the event was by Charlie Amáyá Scott. She said she was 13 when she told her mother she is queer. She wrote it down on a note and slipped it into her mother's lunch bag. 'I was a scared little queer, and I was like: 'I'm queer. Love me, please,'' Scott said. 'Later that day, after I told her in a note, she told me that she loves me.' Scott, now 30, said she is proud to be her mother's oldest daughter. She was the keynote speaker for the Rainbow Gathering, and she shared with the crowd some of her life experiences as a queer, trans Diné woman and Indigenous scholar, emphasizing the importance of stories and storytelling. 'Through stories, we learn who we are, where we come from, and what we could be,' Scott added. 'We exist because of stories.' A story Scott shared reinvents the Diné creation story, going beyond the strict gender binary of the original creation narrative. 'First Woman noticed that all creatures had a choice about who they could be and who they could love,' Scott said. 'First Woman wanted this for her people, the Diné, too.' The story shares how the First Woman's gift to the Diné people was a choice, and that is how Scott would have written the creation story. Scott wrote that story over a year ago, and she said it was to share a creation story that included honoring queer, trans and intersex relatives, 'unlike the popularized versions that dictate a colonizing sex binary and heterosexuality.' Scott said she shared the story because she dreams of a better future, world and life. 'There's something very freeing when we rewrite our stories,' she said, because it provides people the ability to dream and imagine a world of possibility, liberation and freedom. 'A world that we write for ourselves and our cherished loved ones,' she added. 'Stories are not just stories, they are memories, they are lessons, they are guidance from generations before.' Scott said she has rewritten four traditional creation stories, including one about Spider Woman, who was responsible for teaching the Diné people how to weave. 'Our traditions are meant to evolve and change in time,' she said. 'To keep them static is to kill them off.' Scott said that Indigenous people are losing part of themselves if traditions do not evolve or change because they are 'meant to live and reflect who we are and where we're going.' 'What remains is the teaching, not the specificity,' she added. The Rainbow Gathering has been held in the Phoenix area since 2011. Jackson established the event and it is now hosted annually by the Phoenix Indian Center. During the gathering, Jackson shared her work on the state of Two Spirit health in North America, which later became a chapter in the book 'A History of Transgender Medicine in the United States.' The book features 40 contributors and Jackson is the only Indigenous author. Jackson talked about the impact of colonization on Two Spirit health, which includes stigma, self-confidence, self-worth, health, well-being, homophobia, transphobia and historical trauma. She said that is why, within Indigenous communities, health care workers and facilities must be inclusive of their intake assessments. Before she changed her name, Jackson said that she still remembers what it felt like when the hospital would call her by her birth name. She said she often contemplated what to do in the waiting room, wondering if she should get up. However, even after she changed her name, the stigma persisted. Jackson said that her doctor would anger her because they would go through her entire medical history pointing out that she was born male and is now passing as female. 'Our community is often viewed as less than,' she said. Jackson said it is vital for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community to tell their stories and assert their importance within the cultural, ceremonial and spiritual traditions of their communities. 'Listening to these voices, we can create medical institutions that recognize and meet our unique healthcare needs,' she said. As part of the gathering, the Phoenix Indian Center presented two community awards, the Basket and Dream Catcher awards. Jackson said she created the awards to be Indigenous, reflecting the identity of Indigenous people. The Basket award is given to an individual or organization recognized as an ally of the Two Spirit community who has provided support for programming and services targeting the Two Spirit community in the southwest. Jackson said the basket reward reflects the time and work that goes into preparing and weaving a basket within many Native cultures. 'The intent was to identify an individual who went down the same journey as the basket by creating that weave within the community,' she added. The 2025 Basket Award was presented to Tara Begay, a Diné board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and co-owner of TL Family Nurse Practice, LLC in Phoenix. She is actively involved in Arizona's Rapid Start Initiative, which ensures access to HIV treatment upon diagnosis, according to the Phoenix Indian Center. 'Health care is a fundamental human right,' Begay said. Some of the services her practice provides include sick visits, physical exams, HIV prevention and management, gender affirming care and chronic care. The Dream Catcher award is presented to an Indigenous person who identifies as Two Spirit and has demonstrated a lifetime commitment and services to the Indigenous 2SLGBTQIA+ community in the southwest. 'We see you, we see your work, we see what you're doing out in the community,' Jackson said, adding that the Dream Catcher Award is similar to having a vision out in the community, they see something is needed and they go out and 'plant that seed. The 2025 Dream Catcher award was presented to Rita DeMornay, who is Akimel O'odham from the Gila River Indian Community, where she began her 2SLGBTQIA+ advocacy journey. DeMornay currently serves as Miss Phoenix Pride 2025, she is the first Indigenous winner of the title since 2007. 'My journey has just begun, it is not over,' DeMornay said. 'I will continue to open these doors for our Native Two Spirit LGBTQIA+ community.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
CBC
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
CBC is proud to be a part of Pride 2025
The Pride Winnipeg Festival is an opportunity to connect with and celebrate two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, queer and diverse communities in Manitoba. This year, Pride Winnipeg is May 23rd to June 1st, 2025. The events kick off on Friday, May 23, with a flag raising at City Hall. CBC/Radio-Canada Manitoba will participate in the Winnipeg Pride Parade on June 1. The parade will start at the Manitoba Legislature, make its way through downtown Winnipeg and end at The Forks. Give us a wave and collect our limited edition CBC Pride button. Enjoy all the Pride Winnipeg events, including the flag raising, festival and parade, and see main stage headliner Sebastian Gaskin, June 1 at 5:45 p.m. Flag raising - Friday, May 23. Festival at the Forks - Saturday, May 31 and Sunday, June 1. Parade and rally - Sunday, June 1. Learn more about all of the Pride events here. What else? The Pride Winnipeg app Want to stay connected and updated on all the events happening during Pride weekend? Download the Pride Winnipeg app. You can find event schedules, food details, a list of sponsors and FAQs to help you make the most of the festival. Keep an eye on the app after Pride for events year-round! Volunteer Pride is powered by the many volunteers who give their time to make the event a success. Learn more about volunteer opportunities here. Listen to our CBC MB Pride playlist here.
Global News
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Global News
Indigenous artists collaborate to highlight MMIWG2S+
Singing from the mountain tops, Indigenous artists Dani Lion and Jodie B are calling the missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and Two Spirit people home. 'In the lyric I sing,'I am the river, I am the mountains, I am the rock beneath your soles',' said Jodie 'Jodie B' Bruce, producer and artist. 'We are just energy. Energy is not destroyed, it is transformed, and so it kind of goes to a message for our lost sisters. When they are gone, they aren't really gone, they live amongst everything nature.' Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Their song called 'Mountain Prayer' is a call to action. 'It's really important that we do raise awareness for it because if we don't, how do we change anything about it,' said Bruce. Statistics Canada shows that Indigenous women and girls are six times more likely to be murdered than other groups of people in Canada, which is a reality the duo knows all too well. Story continues below advertisement 'I grew up here in central B.C., off Highway 16, which is called the Highway of Tears for a reason, because we've lost many, many of our women, Two Spirit and men here on this strip here, particularly,' said Danielle 'Dani Lion' Mueller, artist. The song's meaning is amplified because of its Red Dress Day release. It's a day when hundreds marched through the streets of Kelowna, demanding change and justice for those missing. 'This song is about how we can, not only can we have action, but we can have healing through these things that happen to us,' said Mueller.
Cision Canada
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Cision Canada
National Indigenous groups partner to pressure Canada to end MMIWG2S+ crisis
Collaborative data project seeks to enhance understanding of MMIWG2S+ crisis, strengthen advocacy and highlight lack of action from Canada since the National Inquiry UNCEDED ANISHINABE TERRITORY, ON, May 5, 2025 /CNW/ - Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak (LFMO), the Ontario Native Women's Association (ONWA) and 2 Spirits in Motion Society (2SiMS) announced a collaborative, Indigenous-led data project focused on Missing and Murdered First Nations, Métis and Inuit Women, Girls, Two Spirit and Gender-diverse Peoples today. "Despite the clear path laid out by the National Inquiry, First Nations, Métis and Inuit Women, Girls, Two Spirit and Gender-diverse Peoples are still dehumanized, devalued and targeted," says Pauktuutit President and CEO Nikki Komaksiutiksak. "This project will strengthen ongoing advocacy efforts and pressure the Government of Canada to implement all 231 Calls for Justice identified by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls." This project is intended to bring in additional Indigenous-led organizations that can assist in data collection on Missing and Murdered First Nations, Métis and Inuit Women, Girls, Two Spirit and Gender-diverse Peoples, which will be used to raise awareness and lead to the creation of a national database — strengthening advocacy, driving social progress and changing policy "Police forces, child welfare systems and social services lack an understanding of their role in systemic violence, resulting in unreliable and inaccurate MMIWG2S+ data," says LFMO Director of MMIWG2S Initiatives Kristen Gilchrist-Salles. "We must put an end to the violent systems shaping this crisis — the data we collect will help us accomplish this." "The data will help support advocacy efforts on the ground and at the highest levels of government," says 2SiMS National Research Coordinator Imriel Bissnette. "Today, on Red Dress Day, we ask everyone across the country to come together, hold governments accountable and put an end to the genocide of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Women, Girls, Two Spirit and Gender-diverse Peoples." "This partnership and project is about a shared commitment to truth, accountability and walking alongside each other with respect and responsibility," says ONWA CEO Cora McGuire-Cyrette. "It's about coming together with care and purpose to honour the lives and experiences of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Women, Girls, Two Spirit and Gender-diverse Peoples. By using data to shine a light on systemic gaps and injustices, this work aims to support long-overdue accountability and strengthen safety, justice and healing in our communities." The organizations are working alongside CDCI and Wampum Records — who helped build the online data repository for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation together. For more information, visit: About Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada: Pauktuutit is the national non-profit organization representing all Inuit women in Canada. Its mandate is to foster a greater awareness of the needs of Inuit women, and to encourage their participation in community, regional and national concerns in relation to social, cultural and economic development. About Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak: Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak (LMFO) is the recognized National voice of Métis women from across the Métis Motherland informed by the expressed priorities of grassroots Métis women. About Ontario Native Women's Association: The Ontario Native Women's Association (ONWA) is a not for profit organization to empower and support all Indigenous women and their families in the province of Ontario through research, advocacy, policy development and programs that focus on local, regional and provincial activities. About 2 Spirits in Motion Society: The 2 Spirits in Motion Society (2SiMS) is a registered national non-profit society that seeks to create, maintain, and strengthen a safe and supportive environment for 2 Spirit people to express themselves through cultural ways of knowing and being around gender and sexuality; and to succeed and be empowered in all areas that are grounded in the medicines that 2 Spirit people carry.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Montana judge blocks anti-trans bathroom law
A state judge in Montana on Wednesday temporarily blocked a law that prevented transgender folks from using bathrooms in public buildings that aligned with their gender identities, the Associated Press reports. Transgender state Rep. Zoey Zephyr and local activists heralded the decision. District Court Judge Shane Vannatta issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) barring enforcement of House Bill 121 until April 21. The new law, signed into law by Republic Gov. Greg Gianforte on March 27, codifies and claims to 'reaffirm the longstanding meanings' of the terms 'sex, male, and female' and 'preserve women's restrooms, changing rooms, and sleeping quarters for women in facilities where women have traditionally been afforded privacy and safety from acts of abuse, harassment, sexual assault, and violence committed by men.' The suit was filed by Casey Perkins, Spencer McDonald, Kasandra Redding, and two unidentified individuals identified as Jane and John Doe. The five were represented by the ACLU of Montana, in partnership with ACLU and Legal Voice. 'Today's ruling provides enormous relief to trans Montanans across the state,' Alex Rate, legal director for ACLU of Montana said in a statement to the media. 'The state's relentless attacks on trans and Two Spirit people cannot withstand constitutional scrutiny by the courts.' Zephyr, the transgender state representative who incurred the wrath of Republicans last year when they unsuccessfully tried to ban her from using the women's restrooms in the state capital, heralded the judge's order. 'Montana's anti-trans bathroom ban is BLOCKED by the courts,' Zephyr posted to X. 'The judge finds that the ban was "motivated by animus" and that it showed no evidence that it protects safety and privacy.' Kaitlin Price, a spokesperson for Gianforte, appeared to scoff at the case and TRO in an anti-trans statement emailed to the media. 'We're not surprised to see far-left activists run to the courts to stop this common-sense law,' Price said before denying trans women are women. Gianforte signed House Bill 121 last week along with House Bill 130, which made it illegal for public educational institutions to permit transgender folks to use restrooms, bathing, changing, and sleeping facilities that align with their gender identity. 'Standing alongside our partners in Montana and across the country, I am proud to safeguard privacy and security for women and girls – because a man shouldn't be in a women's restroom, shouldn't be in a women's shower room, and shouldn't be housed in a women's prison,' Gov. Greg Gianforte said in a statement last week announcing the signing. 'Today, we're maintaining equal opportunity for all Americans while also protecting women and girls and their right to safe and separate facilities and activities.' Both laws took effect immediately. Since only House Bill 121 was challenged in court, House Bill 130 remains in effect.
