Two-Spirited People and Social Work Practice: Exploring the History of Aboriginal Gender and Sexual Diversity
Publication year:
2010
| Cataloged on:
Oct. 02, 2012
ANNOTATION: “Diversity of sexual orientation appears to be universal throughout human history. This article explores gender and sexual diversity of non-Aboriginal and traditional First Nations groups in North America, and the reclamation of traditional roles and identities by contemporary two-spirits. This article argues that social workers, as well as various other human service professionals stand to improve the quality of their practice by seeking deeper understanding of sexual and gender diversity through exploration of historic First Nation traditions of two-spirit roles as well as the intersecting multiple oppressions impacting two-spirits in urban, rural and reserve locations” (p. 63). People working with non-Aboriginal and First Nations offenders should read this article. It will provide you with valuable information concerning this population. Sections of this article following an abstract include; introduction; the history of “faggot” and “dyke”; colonial to contemporary aboriginal sexual and gender diversity; the discontinued use of berdache; traditional two-spirit history and roles; emergence of contemporary two-spirits; Saskatchewan two-spirits from rural, urban, and reserve communities; the author’s two-spirit journey; implications for social work practice; and conclusion.
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