Diversity & Inclusion
What it means to be Two-Spirit
August 17, 2022
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2 minutes 37 seconds
Deepening our understanding of the diverse identities that make up the 2SLGBTQ+ community allows us to create a more welcoming environment for everyone – clients and community members – and allows our colleagues to grow professionally and personally as their authentic selves.
Our Forever Proud and Indigenous Peoples employee resource groups set out to help demystify one of the lesser-known identities that make up the 2SLGBTQ+ acronym: Two-Spirit.
Some Indigenous Peoples understand Two-Spirit to mean having both a masculine and feminine spirit. For others, their Two-Spirit identity may be rooted in their Nation’s particular understanding of gender and sexuality – this is no universal definition. What remains consistent is that Two-Spirit people have been present and valued in Indigenous communities for countless generations.
Our teams spoke with Patrick Hunter (his/he/him), an Ojibway artist, who shares what it means to identify as Two-Spirit and how art has helped shape his identity and sense of belonging.
Our Forever Proud and Indigenous Peoples employee resource groups set out to help demystify one of the lesser-known identities that make up the 2SLGBTQ+ acronym: Two-Spirit.
Some Indigenous Peoples understand Two-Spirit to mean having both a masculine and feminine spirit. For others, their Two-Spirit identity may be rooted in their Nation’s particular understanding of gender and sexuality – this is no universal definition. What remains consistent is that Two-Spirit people have been present and valued in Indigenous communities for countless generations.
Our teams spoke with Patrick Hunter (his/he/him), an Ojibway artist, who shares what it means to identify as Two-Spirit and how art has helped shape his identity and sense of belonging.