LaFortune: GLBTQ Awareness

Richard LaFortune, meaning little man, an Eskimo from Bethel Alaska came to our campus to speak on the GLBTQ awareness within Native American society. He spoke of his background and his most recent presentation at the 20th anniversary of the International Two Spirit Gathering. This convention, held in Minnesota, focused on tolerance and acceptance.

LaFortune spoke out about how in the 200 plus languages on the Native World, the terms for gender are endless, whereas in the Western Languages (United States and Canada) generally have no words to address the gender spectrum. He uses the Navajo’s language as an example of Native sense of gender; the Navajo’s have over 15 different genders.

The term Two Spirit was officially adopted in 1990. Two Spirit is explained as masculine and feminine identity in one body. LaFortune points out that the Non-Native world believes that all humans happen because of a union of man and women. All babies are first female and then develop from there. He also narrows down the confusion of Native and Western clashes in gender. Western views gender as sexuality, whereas the Native views gender as spirituality. Before1990 the transgender Indian was labeled as berdache, a Persian term meaning young kept boy for sexual purpose. This term excluded many persons of two spirit identity and after a three year struggle the Native GLBT was successful in changing the term.

LaFortune claims the Native GLBT movement is different from that of the Gay Liberation Movement because within the Native Community gay marriage is prohibited as well as adoption for gay couples. There have been many conflicts with the United States government and Native World in recognition for gay marriage and adoption. The Native Community stays strong citing their sovereignty from the Untied States; the only legal Native gay couple resides in Oklahoma after they successful won their case and acknowledgement in Untied States Supreme Court. The Native GLBT are more concerned about suicide and drug abuse among their GLBT (as well as hetero native) youth as well as education. Also, within the Native world, two spirited people were allowed and expected to adopt orphaned children.

Boarding schools was also a topic of discussion for LaFortune. Since the schools were ran by Western people under the cloak of religion. The binary structure of gender was forced upon the Native youth being held captive. The concept of Original Sin was literally beaten into the Native youth, though their spirituality did not believe or recognize that concept.

When coining the term God, Christians have one word. Where as, the Navajo’s call their supreme being Nutley which is a word that embodies a spectrum of genders. And in the Hebrew language “El-o-hem” when translated literally means God-she-they. Thus, proving throughout history and languages that God has a name that means more then just the traditional Western binary gender view.