New We Matter campaign asks youth to submit their definition of two-spirit

A new social media campaign is asking Indigenous youth to submittheir own definition of "two-spirit," which will then be compiledinto a "two-spiritdictionary."

"There's so much confusion around what two-spirit means,"said Tunchai Redvers.

"But also there's power and beauty in how every single, two-spirit identified person will define it differently or define it for themselves."

Redvers is Dene/Mtis from the Northwest Territories, and the co-founder of the We Matter campaign, an Indigenous-led organization for youth support and life promotion/suicide prevention.

We Matter has teamed up with Facebook Canada and advertising agency Taxifor the two-spirit dictionary campaign.

"For myself, I would define two-spirit as a term that encompasses both my queer identity and my indigeneity or my Indigenous identity," said Redvers.

"The term two-spirit doesn't separate those two parts of my identity but rather those two identities are full in themselves. Also for me personally I would say that it encompasses a fluidity of both masculine and feminine spirits."

Growing up, Redverssaid she struggled with how to identify and saidit is important to bring an online campaign to a national platform to help address homophobia.

"Indigenous youth still die by suicide at the highest rate but within that, two-spirit and LGBTQ+ Indigenous youth die by suicide at even higher rates,"said Redvers.

"There's still so much homophobia and transphobia in this country but also even in our Indigenous communities."

History of the term

Albert McLeod, a two-spirit elder from Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation in Manitoba, said he is proud of the work that two-spirit youth are taking on.

He said the term two-spirit was coined in Winnipeg in 1990, andcameat a time when political events like the Oka Crisis and the Meech Lake Accord were happening.

"Gender identity, sexuality, sexual orientation intersects with Indigenous politics and Indigenous rights," said McLeod.

"For two-spirit people, we have been part of that history going way back to early Indigenous rights movements in North America."

McLeod said the term came about after two-spirit elder and educator Myra Laramee had a dream about it. She then presented it to a gathering that was held in Winnipeg for Indigenous LGBTfolks who wanted to learn more about spirituality and traditional healing.

"A lot of this suicide ideation or suicide is related to discrimination around gender identity or sexual orientation," said McLeod.

McLeod saidIndigenous communities are becoming more inclusive,andcommunities that are more welcoming to two-spirit people will help prevent suicides.

We Matterhas an Ambassadors of Hope program that puts facilitators into Indigenous communities to talk about things like suicide prevention, youth empowerment and Indigenous issues.

One of the ambassadors is John Peters from Fox Lake Cree Nation in Manitoba.

He said an online campaign for two-spirit youth will help create a community.

"It's really important for Indigenous youth, specifically two-spirit LGBTQ+ youth, so they can see themselves in catalogues where things like mental health are being talked about," said Peters.

The campaign was launched on June 21, Indigenous PeoplesDay, and will accept submissions until August.Submissions can be sent directly to We Matter's Facebook Messenger account.

Each of the submissions will be uploaded to the We Matter website and will be available in print and PDF copies, and will be sent tocommunities across the country.