Content added Content deleted
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 5: | Line 5: | ||
Two spirit is commonly understood to refer to a person who has the spirit of both woman and man within them, and could be thought of as being similar to [[bigender]], though not all genders that fall under two spirit are described as such. The term is also used as an umbrella term by [[transgender]], [[Non-Binary|non-binary]], [[Gender Non-Conforming|gender non-conforming]], and other [[LGBT+]] Native Americans/indigenous peoples even if they wouldn’t describe themselves as bigender specifically. As an umbrella term it can be more accurately understood as any identity that does not make sense unless it is contextualized within the framework of a Native American or Indigenous traditional cultural understanding. Not all two-spirit people consider themselves transgender, non-binary, or [[LGBT+]]. |
Two spirit is commonly understood to refer to a person who has the spirit of both woman and man within them, and could be thought of as being similar to [[bigender]], though not all genders that fall under two spirit are described as such. The term is also used as an umbrella term by [[transgender]], [[Non-Binary|non-binary]], [[Gender Non-Conforming|gender non-conforming]], and other [[LGBT+]] Native Americans/indigenous peoples even if they wouldn’t describe themselves as bigender specifically. As an umbrella term it can be more accurately understood as any identity that does not make sense unless it is contextualized within the framework of a Native American or Indigenous traditional cultural understanding. Not all two-spirit people consider themselves transgender, non-binary, or [[LGBT+]]. |
||
== History == |
== History == |
||
[[File:Two spirit flag.jpg|thumb|Flag made by sirieko]] |
|||
The English term "two spirit" emerged in 1990 out of the third annual inter-tribal Native American/Indigenous [[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). |
The English term "two spirit" emerged in 1990 out of the third annual inter-tribal Native American/Indigenous [[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). |
||
[[File:Two spirit flag with meanings.jpg|thumb|Meaning of colors]] |
|||
The primary purpose of coining a new term was to encourage the replacement of the outdated and offensive, anthropological term, "berdache"''.'' The term "berdache" was coined by western anthropologists and used until the late 20th century, mainly to describe feminine Native Americans assigned male at birth. The term is however inaccurate and can nowadays be considered offensive. |
The primary purpose of coining a new term was to encourage the replacement of the outdated and offensive, anthropological term, "berdache"''.'' The term "berdache" was coined by western anthropologists and used until the late 20th century, mainly to describe feminine Native Americans assigned male at birth. The term is however inaccurate and can nowadays be considered offensive. |
||