by John R. Sylliboy; Committee Member, Wapanaki Two-Spirit

Wapanaki Two Spirit Alliance (W2SA) is currently seeking individuals that would like to share their stories to our families, communities and other Two Spirits. Coming out is a term that is referred to coming out of the closet or what the W2SSA accepts as one finding peace within themselves to accept t their sexual identity as Two Spirit: gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, or transgendered (GLBT). This sense of peace is internal and external, which require a series of balanced circumstances in their lives (health, family and the person to live their life respectfully and dignified as a two spirit. There is no similar book out there, so the WW2SA hopes this book would be a source of education and empowerment for Two Spirit people.
Two Spirit was accepted as a term in reference to GLBT Aboriginals in North America at a Gathering in Minnesota in 1988 and in 19990 in Winnipeg, Canada. The W2SA is researching similar accepted terms in our sister languages to describe two spirit in Maliseet, Penobscot, Inuktitut, and Passamaquoddy. Puoin is a term that bests the concept in Mi’kmaq. There are many gifts that the two spirit individuals were recognized for: cultural advisors, medicine people, spiritual/ceremonial leaders, educators, caretakers, crafts people, artists, etc., which are all traditional knowledge carriers. “Two Spirit People are people who assume cross or multiple gender roles, attributes, dress and attitudes for personal, spiritual, cultural, ceremonial or social reaso ...

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