“My Spirit in My Heart”

SUMMARY

Many Native women embrace the term two-spirit to capture their sexuality and gender expression. By analyzing the narratives of five two-spirit women who are Native activists, we explored contemporary understandings of the concept and what it means for Native communities. The incorporation of the identity within indigenous worldviews, its manifestation in terms of (be)coming out, and the triple stressors of heterosexism, racism, and sexism emerged as key themes.

Key Words:

• American Indian/Alaskan Native
• lesbian spirituality
• lesbian women of color
• two-spirit
• sexual orientation and discrimination
• identity development
• qualitative research