Two-Spirit (2S)

Created in 1990, an umbrella term intended to describe Indigenous people who do not fit into colonizers’ binary understanding of sexual orientation and gender. “Two-Spirit” is a direct translation of the Ojibwe term “Niizh mandidoowag,” but it’s used by many U.S. Native American/First Nations Indigenous peoples. Many Native cultures have specific words in their language to refer to people with diverse genders and sexual orientations; Two-Spirit is not intended to replace those specific words. While it is not a synonymous term for “queer,” “bi,” or “trans,” people who are 2S may also identify as such.

Note: This term should only be used by First Nations/US Native American Indigenous peoples, and writers who are not Two-Spirit should always consult experts on this subject. For more, see here and here.