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[[File:Two spirit.png|thumb|220x220px|Miigwan's two spirit flag.]]
▲it flag by 2Sanon.]][[File:Twospirit3.png|thumb|220x220px|Lgbtqa-pride-icon's two-spirit flag.]]'''Two Spirit''' or '''Twospirited''' is an [[Exclusive Genders|exclusive gender]] for Indigenous North Americans. Typically two spirit people fulfill one of many third gender or mixed gender roles found traditionally among many Native Americans and Canadian First Nations indigenous groups. The mixed gender roles encompassed by the term may very based on the specific tribe, but historically often included wearing the clothing and performing the work associated with both men and women. Two spirit people often serve a ceremonial role as well. In some tribes, when the term is used as an English synonym for a traditional ceremonial role, a two spirit person must be recognized as such by the Elders of their community.
Most tribes have a tribe-specific name that is used to describe a third or fourth gender category, and may be used synonymously with two spirit in English. Two spirit was created as an English word to serve as an [[Umbrella Term|umbrella term]] for the diverse, culturally-specific ceremonial and social roles found in many different Native American and First Nations cultures. The gender roles that can be described as two spirit can vary widely. No single gender or sexuality category within Native American/First Nations' cultures applies to all two spirit people and vice verse.
== History ==
The English term "two spirit" emerged in 1990 out of the third annual inter-tribal Native American/First Nations [[gay]]/[[lesbian]] American conference in Winnipeg. A direct translation of the Ojibwe term, ''Niizh manidoowag'', "two-spirited" or "two-spirit" is usually used to indicate a person whose body simultaneously houses a masculine spirit and a feminine spirit. The term can also be used more abstractly, to indicate presence of two contrasting human spirits (such as Warrior and Clan Mother) or two contrasting animal spirits (which, depending on the culture, might be Eagle and Coyote).
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