Menu
LGBTQ and Two-Spirit People
Supporting Alaska Native Youth
What Is LGBTQ?
LGBTQ is an acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning and is part of a big thing called sexuality and gender. You may have heard these terms before or know someone who may identify as LGBTQ. Two same-gender people loving one another romantically or someone who is a different gender than what they were given at birth are not new concepts. Many Alaska Native and other Native cultures have stories or traditional roles or words in their Native language that describe people who were LGBTQ and Native. (Source: I Know Mine)
The Two-Spirit
Traditionally, Native American two-spirit people were male, female, and sometimes intersexed individuals who combined activities of both men and women with traits unique to their status as two-spirit people. In most tribes, they were considered neither men nor women; they occupied a distinct, alternative gender status. In tribes where two-spirit males and females were referred to with the same term, this status amounted to a third gender. (Source: Indian Health Service)
Resources and Curriculums
We have provided a comprehensive list of LGBTQ and Two-Spirit resources for you to explore.
Resources – Helping Young Alaskans Succeed
Definitions
Terms to know
Vanderbilt University offers a comprehensive list of commonly used terms such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex life. Visit the website to explore more terms.
Two-Spirits Among Us: celebrating LGBTQ Native American and First Nations stories
Documentaries to watch:
- Fire Song – Adam Garnet Jones
- Honored By the Moon – Mona Smith
- Johnny Greyeyes – Jorge Manzano
- The Business of Fancydancing – Sherman Alexie
- Two Spirits – Ruth Fertig
Celebrating Our Magic
Resources for American Indian/Alaska Native transgender and Two-Spirit youth, their relatives and families, and their healthcare providers.
This Toolkit hopes to:
- Improve resources and access to healthcare for Native transgender and Two-Spirit youth facing barriers accessing healthcare
- Increase healthcare provider awareness of issues faced by transgender/Two-Spirit youth in Native communities
- Provide youth, families, and providers tools to serve as advocates for their strong and resilient communities
- Reduce disparities in access, create gender-affirming clinic environments, and support positive mental health outcomes
- Increase tribal clinic capacity by creating long-term pathways to care for transgender and Two-Spirit individuals within the tribal health setting.
The Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women
About LGBTQ2+
LGBTQ2S+ survivors of violence experience the same rates of violence as other intimate partner relationships- however, LGBT survivors sometimes face discrimination (whether intentional or not) when seeking help and protection. These discriminations can re-victimized and/or re-traumatize an individual. Although VAWA 2013 prohibits such discrimination to ensure that all victims of violence have access to the same services and protection to overcome trauma and find safety.
GLSEN
Erasure and Resilience: The Experiences of LGBTQ Students of Color Native and Indigenous LGBTQ Youth in U.S. Schools.
A Report from GLSEN and the Center for Native American Youth.
- In this report, we examine the experiences of Native and Indigenous LGBTQ students with regard to
indicators of negative school climate and their impact on academic achievement, educational aspirations, and psychological well-being. - In addition, we examine whether Native and Indigenous LGBTQ students report these experiences to school officials or their families, and how these adults addressed the problem.
- We also examine the degree to which Native and Indigenous LGBTQ students have access to supportive resources in school, and explore the possible benefits of these resources.
Healthy Native Youth
Indigenizing Love
A toolkit for Native Youth to build inclusion. This toolkit is written to support Native youth, tribal communities, Two-Spirit and Native LGBTQIA+ collectives, community leaders, and partners who intend to better understand and support our Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ communities.
I Know Mine: LGBTQ & Two-Spirit
I Know Mine
The mission of iknowmine is to provide truthful and accurate information that youth can trust in order for them to be in control of their own health. iknowmine is a program run by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium to help support Alaska Native youth and Alaskan youth to live healthy lives. Take a look around, we have cover topics such as STDs, pregnancy, nutrition, Am I Gay?, dating violence, and much more. You can ask confidential questions about sex, health, and more.
Identity Alaska
Youth Support and Programs
Identity is a statewide LGBT organization founded in 1977 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and based in Anchorage, Alaska.
OUR VISION: Identity envisions a world where all people are free to express and be proud of their gender identity and sexual orientation.
Native Movement
Indigenous Concepts of Gender & Sexuality:
A comprehensive list of local, state, and national resources and tool kits surrounding discussions on indigenous concepts of gender and sexuality.
Navajo Nation Pride
About Navajo Nation Pride
In 2021, Diné Pride’s theme is focused on honoring all Indigenous Womxn who continue to uplift communities, lead our movements & are the changemakers for our Sovereign Nations. Before Manifest Destiny, the forced removal of Native children to boarding schools, the Women’s Suffrage Movement, & the Stonewall riots in New York City – our Indigenous Womxn have been at the forefront protecting sacred knowledge, passing forth our oral tradition, and raising resilient Sovereign Nations. We will continue to honor the role of our matriarchs for generations to come.
National LGBT Task Force
Tribal Equity Toolkit 3.0
Explore Tribal Resolutions and Codes to Support Two Spirit and LGBT Justice in Indian Country.
Native Youth Sexual Health Network
Two Spirit Resource Directory
NYSHN put together the Two Spirit Youth Section of this Two Spirit Resource Directory by the National Confederacy of Two Spirit Organizations and Northeast Two Spirit Society.
NCAI Policy Research Center
A Spotlight on Two Spirit (Native LGBT) Communities
The NCAI Policy Research Center wanted to highlight the status of Native LBGT and Two Spirit communities by sharing data and reports that show where they are gaining ground and where further support is needed.
The Trevor Project
Trevor Lifeline
Founded in 1998 by the creators of the Academy Award®-winning short film TREVOR, The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people under 25. Visit Trevor Project online international peer-to-peer community for LGBTQ young people and their friends.
The Resource Basket
- 731 East 8th Avenue Anchorage, Alaska 99501
- 907-865-7399
- resourcebasket@ruralcap.com
This is a RurAL CAP affiliated program.