ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏢᏉᏛ

Gay & Lesbian  

The Cherokee people were once a society that valued the diversity of the people within their community. Many of the modern Cherokee tribes have forgotten this aspect of their culture.

Throughout the history of Native Americans, tribes believed that everyone has a gift and something to contribute to society. Today, the term Two Spirit is commonly used within tribes to describe gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendered (LGBT) people. It should be noted that not all two spirit people identify themselves as LGBT.

More than 155 Nations had roles for Two Spirit people, and each had a specific name, meaning and traditions, including: n�dleeh� (Navaho), winkte (Lakota), alyha and hwame (Mohave), and he'eman (Cheyenne). Two Spirit Native Americans were greatly respected in their communities in the past, but the anti-LGBT sentiment found in other American communities is often the norm in Native American communities today. [Source: GLAAD.org]

Visit our collection of resources for gays and lesbians.