Native American cultures conceptualize gender and sexuality in unique ways that often do not reflect modern Western notions of the gender binary. Some tribes use the term “two-spirit” as a modern umbrella term for gender-variant people, while others use names in their own languages for the unique gender roles and identities they recognize within their respective gender systems.
Glossary Term
Two-Spirit
[tu ˈspɪrət]
- (Gender Expression)
- (Gender Identity)
Adjective.
A modern umbrella term used within Indigenous communities of North America that bridges Indigenous and Western understandings of gender and sexuality.