Gender Normality
Gender normality is a hot topic that continues to sharp reactions globally. That is the reason why I chose to study anthropology; to see if I could dive a little deeper into the understanding of the biologics behind biological sex and gender. I grew up learning that there were only boys and girls, and with that came gender norms of each. Boys played street hockey; girls played with dolls. Girls were princesses and queens; boy were princes and kings. There was no wiggle room for expression. There was no in-between. In doing my self-study, I came across an impressive group of people, whom today are seen as outsiders, but in their own culture, they were looked upon very highly.
The Two-Spirit Community
The NCAI Policy Research Center in its paper A Spotlight on Two-Spirit (Native LGBT) Communities define the American Indian Two-Spirit community as a group of modern, pan-Indian, umbrella term used by some indigenous Native Americans to describe certain people in their communities who fulfill a traditional third-gender (or other gender-variant) ceremonial role in their cultures. The group have been around for many generations and thought to be numbering into thousands yet few studies have been conducted to understand such individuals fully. In the past, the Native Indians used to view them with the high accord; however as time goes by, they are increasingly looked down upon. The-Two Spirit, however, is modern term Native Indians to bring in the respect trans-gender group deserves.
Literature Review
Lyons et al. (2016) in their research titled Experiences of Trans Women and Two-Spirit Persons Accessing Women-Specific Health and Housing Services in a Downtown Neighborhood of Vancouver, Canada observed that not much is known concerning experiences trans-women have access to gender-segregated housing and health services particularly those destined for persons living in poverty. For this reason, the authors conducted a qualitative inquiry into the experiences the two-spirit persons and trans-gender persons undergo in accessing such basic services in a neighborhood in downtown Vancouver, Canada. The research involved 32 participants, all transwomen and two-spirit persons who have accessed female-specific housing or health services and data analyzed using participatory analysis approach.
Lyons et al.'s study findings highlighted that though the participants could generally access the women specific-services, there were cases of discrimination based gender identity, gender expression-that is a requirement to show female gender expressions-, and the inability of the staff to intervene in case of harassment by other users. Therefore, the study concluded that two-spirit women rely upon the women-specific services for their safety and health, thus excluding them would potentially have severe effects on their wellbeing including sexual violence and homelessness. Hence, the need to increase accessibility and policy development to protect the two-spirit persons.
Sheppard and Mayo (2013) in their article The Social Construction of Gender and Sexuality: Learning from Two Spirit Traditions encourage instructors and teachers to utilize the existing customary societal studies curriculum in uncovering and making observable the normative norms that are underlying the American cultural views about the subject of sexuality and gender. The study gives an overview of how various cultures and traditions from the Native American communities perceive sexuality and gender in manners that challenges the Western norms. The authors provide the Two-Spirit analysis as a perfect example including reflections educationists who have incorporated the curriculum within their classes.
Wesley (2015) in his doctoral dissertation, Reimagining Two-Spirit Community: Critically Centering Narratives of Urban Two-Spirit Youth observed that since the inception of the Two-Spirit in the 1990s, the term had become a social identity by which LGBTQ people from indigenous societies have assumed as a way to exhibit both their indigeneity and uniqueness. Further, he identifies that though the Two-Spirit people are increasingly becoming visible, youth engagement is mostly confined within the social services sector besides being limited. Therefore, in a bid to investigate and explore more about this phenomenon, Wesley utilized an indigenously guided methodology to engage two-spirited youth residing in Toronto.
Wesley's study revealed how young two-spirited youths would like radical changes in regards to putting an end to transphobia and homophobia meted upon their communities and desire to be in direct participation in nation building activities through the guidance of their community elders. Similarly, it showed the limits of youth two-spirit ideals connections with the overall community's perception of the Two-Spirit. The thesis analyzed ways in which the Two-Spirit identity can be used oppressively and in decolonizing approaches. The findings indicated that Two-Spirit youths are resisting victimhood narratives created based on racist ideas concerning the indigenous persons. The author opines that such negative views come at a time when the two-spirited youth are in the process of searching for spaces and opening up dialogues of they can radically manifest their futures rooted in their indigenous ways.
Gilley (2014) challenges scholars on how best to account for complexities in describing seemingly unified factors that constitute tribally unique identities held by the two-spirit native Americans while requesting them to disrupt their sex and gender stabilities they have stayed within their societies and are committed to. In his paper, Gilley sought to problematize the way other scholars exert a form of power in understanding native perceptions of gender identity and sexuality. The author observes that academic constructions need to respect the native view of transgender and sexuality following the Two-Spirit.
Analysis of Research Papers
An analysis of the various research papers highlighting the subject of Two-Spirit reveals that even though the practice is old, it brings a lot more understanding and appreciation to the gay, lesbian, and transgender community more than the Western approach. Similarly, modern scholars and researchers need to show appreciation to the native understanding of sexuality and avoid imposing unnecessary pressure to change their ways. By analyzing the research papers, four vital questions are imminent. For instance, do the two-spirited persons face discrimination? Do the two-spirit youth share the same ideals as their predecessor? Can native understanding be incorporated in the contemporary syllabus? What can modern-day scholars learn from Two-Spirit?
Understanding Two-Spirit from Anthropology's major Sub-Fields
The topic of Two-Spirit is an exciting aspect in anthropology especially due to the significant interest it has drawn since its inception. Various anthropology researchers from diverse fields have attempted to explain and understand the Two-Spirit notion held by indigenous communities. About Biological Anthropology, which studies the biological characteristics of human through generations, two-spirit is understandable based on the tenets of sex, which is observable sexual characteristics such as transgender (Brayboy, 2017). Cultural Anthropology, on the other hand, looks at the societal roles and expectations assigned to individuals with unique biological features such as transgender. Such tasks include religious processions and gender of such individuals. Native Indians observe five gender which is male, female, transgender, Two-Spirit male, and Two-Spirit female.
Through Linguistic Anthropology, researchers understand the various communication models and techniques based on role, position, gender, and sexuality across cultures. Communication among the two-spirit persons depends on the gender inclination of an individual. Through Anthropology researchers get to understand the ways of lives of people who lived in the past. According to native Indians, burial sites were marked based on the position of an individual in the society, gender and or any unique features. Since most two-spirit people were held in high respect; they had elaborate burial ceremonies (Brayboy, 2017).
Conclusion
In summary, it is evident that the two-spirit tradition among the native Indians held with respect diversity that comes with humanity. Various scholars agree that the tradition is not archaic or barbaric as most often referred. Sheppard and Mayo even propose the incorporation of the culture in our modern schools to further promote the appreciation of LGBTQ people in our societies. It is high time the nation appreciates the ideals of diverse people and bring back the respect on the LGBTQ community as advanced by the indigenous people.
References
Brayboy, D. (2017, September 7). Two Spirits, One Heart, Five Genders - IndianCountryToday.com. Retrieved from https://newsmaven.io/indiancountrytoday/archive/two-spirits-one-heart-five-genders-9UH_xnbfVEWQHWkjNn0rQQ/
Gilley, B. (2014). Joyous discipline: Native autonomy and culturally conservative two-spirit people. American Indian Culture and Research Journal, 38(2), 17-40.
Lyons, T., Krüsi, A., Pierre, L., Smith, A., Small, W., & Shannon, K. (2016). Experiences of Trans Women and Two-Spirit Persons Accessing Women-Specific Health and Housing Services in a Downtown Neighborhood of Vancouver, Canada. LGBT Health, 3(5), 373-378.
NCAI. (n.d.). A Spotlight on Two Spirit (Native LGBT) Communities. Retrieved November 9, 2018, from http://www.ncai.org/policy-research-center/research-data/prc-publications/A_Spotlight_on_Native_LGBT.pdf
Sheppard, M., & Mayo, J. B. (2013). The Social Construction of Gender and Sexuality: Learning from Two Spirit Traditions. The Social Studies, 104(6), 259-270. doi:10.1080/00377996.2013.788472
Wesley, D. L. (2015). Reimagining Two-Spirit Community: Critically Centering Narratives of Urban Two-Spirit Youth (Doctoral dissertation).
