Language and terminology are both a tool to uphold and decolonize a settler-colonial society. It is also essential for increasing accuracy in historical writing. There are a variety of both tribal specific and western labels for queer identifying Indigenous individuals and understanding both the labels themselves and the history behind them. If you are unsure on which term to use, try your best to find it out before using a broader term. Indigenous LGBTQ+ experiences and language have a variety of factors that shape identity, and the scholarship surrounding it should reflect that complexity.
2-Spirit or LBGTQ+ Indigenous Person: The usage of either term, a reclamation of the derogatory term berdache (see the following link for full word origin and history): berdache | Definition, Examples, Two-Spirit, & Facts | Britannica ), or a tribal specific term will vary upon the individual and can be influenced by a myriad of factors. 2-Spirit has commonly been defined, following Albert McLeod's 1990 coining of the phrase, as "a translation of the Anishinaabemowin term niizh manidoowag, refers to a person who embodies both a masculine and feminine spirit." (Filice, Michelle. "Two-Spirit." The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historical Canada. Article published October 28, 2015; Last Edited July 03, 2020.). However, its applicability supersedes the definition when placed within an individual's personal applicability of the phrase. It is a widely used term for discussing Indigenous people within the LGBTQ+ identity. Many times, Indigenous queer expression goes beyond the constructions of gender and sexuality within a white settler-colonial society. Using the term(s) that an individual identifies it serves as both a point of validation and historical accuracy. Search specificity for terms to use when describing an LGBTQ+ Native American before opting for 2-Spirit or LGBTQ+ Indigenous. More recently terms such as Indigiqueer to reflect the inseparability of both identities have been used, but they are not as common (The future is Indigiqueer | Xtra Magazine ).
For further breakdown of two-spirit, please see the website below.
What Does "Two-Spirit" Mean? | Them
Settler-Colonialism: Understanding the existence of 2-Spirit artists under a settler-colonial society, one what even is upheld by non-Native LGBTQ+ individuals. Settler-colonialism is the forced and intentional eradication and replacement of Indigenous culture and existence to be replaced with the settler's systems of beliefs and institutions.
Settler Colonialism – GLOBAL SOCIAL THEORY
Decolonization/Indigenization
Indigenization is the transformation of belief, language, and system by Indigenous individuals on their terms.
Decolonization: The theoretical and physical undoing of colonialism, or in this case settler-colonialism.
Further considerations:
Even LGBTQ+ terms such as Nonbinary and Transgender can be an extension of settler-colonialism to many of these artists. This is because the terms and that construction of gender are still upholding Western systems of thought and belief. 2-Spirit/Indigiqueer identity goes beyond the confines of these terms and recognizing that is in turn recognizing the unique position these artists find themselves under.
Using proper pronoun usage is vital! Always check for what pronouns are used within the article and do a search to ensure proper pronoun usage!
Much of the queer scholarship and theory is built on the basis of white settler-colonial systems of beliefs. Please see the book recommendation section of the site for an excellent book that encapsulates the space Indigenous queer people operate in. There is an increased complexity in this intersecting scholarship, and the Honus is on the scholars to do the research and educate us.