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Dictionary definition of “two-spirited”

two-spirited

adj. homosexual, transgendered, or transsexual. Subjects: English, United States, Gay, Native American, Sex & Sexuality

Etymological Note: Claimed to be derived from Native American usage.

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Citations: 1991 [hathaway@stsci.edu] Usenet: rec.arts.comics.strips (Apr. 1) “Re: FBOFW”: The aboriginal people considered us ‘Mystics’. They call us ‘two spirited’—meaning that we’re blessed with both female and male spirits!! 1996 Ellen Lewin Women Writing Culture (Jan.) “Writing Lesbian Ethnography” p. 329: Issues of similarity and difference are played out in a different way in Sabine Lang’s account of the difficulties she faced trying to carry out research among Native American “two-spirited” women. 2004 Sheila Mullowney Newport Daily News (R.I.) (May 17) “‘Queer’ label still raises questions”: It can be used to describe both gender identity and sexual orientation and increasingly is being used in a new, wide-ranging alphabet soup…transgender, transsexual, two-spirited (a Native American reference), queer and questioning.

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