Meaning of two-spirit | Babel Free

Definitions

A Native North American bisexual, homosexual, or gender-variant person; especially one belonging to a traditional tribal third-gender, fourth-gender, or transgender cultural category that has a ceremonial role.

Canada, US

Equivalents

Examples

“The Lakota, by the way, called their Two-Spirits winkte and wapetokeca which means "people with special powers."”

“"The elders will tell you the difference between a gay Indian and a Two-Spirit," he [Joey Criddle] said, underscoring the idea that simply being gay and Indian does not make someone a Two-Spirit.”

“The term/identity of two-spirit does not make sense unless it is contextualized within a Native American frame […] Today, most people associate the term with LGBT Natives; however, the work of the two-spirit organizations is more akin with the traditional understanding”

CEFR level