Critical Issues and LGBT-Two Spirit Populations: Highlights from the HONOR Project Study

A health survey of Two-Spirit Native Americans designed to (a) test a theoretically driven stress and coping model among 447 twospirit American Indians via a structured survey; (b) design and test the feasibility of various peer-driven sampling recruitment methodologies to produce a national representative sample; and (c) conduct a qualitative study with 65 leaders to identify major strengths and coping strategies in this population.

Report by the Indigenous Wellness Research Institute at the University of Washington, 2010. 

Sharing Our Lived Experiences: 22 Tips for Caring for Two-Spirit and Native LGBTQ Youth in the Child Welfare System

This resource is dedicated to Two-Spirit and American Indian/Alaska Native LGBTQ children and youth whose lives are impacted by the child welfare system, and to the child welfare professionals, foster and adoptive parents, caregivers, and community members who strive to support them. The tips contained are meant to support child welfare workers, foster and adoptive parents, and caregivers in working with and caring for Two-Spirit and LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning) American Indian/Alaska Native children and youth involved with the child welfare system. These tips may also be helpful to tribal community members that wish to be allies to their young relatives.

Sharing Our Lived Experiences: Eight Tips for Understanding the Two-Spirit/LGBTQ Journey for Native Youth in the Child Welfare System

This fact sheet is intended to assist and support Native youth who may be Two-Spirit and/or LGBTQ (lesbian/ gay/ bisexual/ transgender/ questioning). Native youth in child welfare placements can experience many challenges, including feelings of abandonment, guilt, shame, disconnection from extended family, and many feelings related to unresolved grief and loss due to multi-generational historical traumas.
The goal of this document is to strengthen families in achieving wellness and stability by assisting youth in feeling connected to resources and communities. It is also meant to support healthy identity, healthy development, reduce the risks of suicide and substance abuse, and strengthen ICWA (Indian Child Welfare Act) compliance.

The Tribal Equity Tool Kit: Tribal Resolutions and Codes to Support Two-Spirit and LGBT Justice in Indian Country

This toolkit provides sample legal language for adapting tribal resolutions and codes to recognize the rights of all tribal citizens, including Two Spirit and LGBTQ Natives. This is the third edition of the toolkit published with the support of a growing coalition of national organizations including the National LGBTQ Task Force, the Western States Center and the Center for American Progress.

Two Spirits, One Dance For Native American Artist

“Two-spirit” is how some Native Americans describe people whose gender identity doesn’t fit as strictly male or female. Meet Ty DeFoe, who’s using traditional dance to take this gender identity back from the negative connotations established during colonization. Shot by video journalist Courtney Quirin for AJ+

Walking in Two Worlds: Supporting the Two Spirit and Native LGBTQ Community

Created by the MN Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition with the assistance of Lenny Hayes as a consultant, this educational booklet aims to educate and bring awareness of the issues that impact Two-Spirit/Native LGBTQ individuals and community for tribal communities, individuals, organizations, and the overall LGBTQ community. This booklet was designed to also help other populations get a basic understanding of the term Two-Spirit, what it means to individuals who identify, and to understand the impact of violence of all forms on this population.

To print this booklet you must first contact MIWSAC for permission. Contact information is at the end of the booklet.