Two-Spirit is a modern, pan-Indian, umbrella term used by some Indigenous North Americans to describe Native people in their communities who fulfill a traditional third-gender (or other gender-variant) ceremonial and social role in their cultures.

The term was created in 1990 at the Indigenous LGBTQ international gathering in Winnipeg, and “specifically chosen to distinguish and distance Native American/First Nations people from non-Native peoples.” The primary purpose of coining a new term was to encourage the replacement of the outdated and considered offensive, anthropological term, berdache.^[5

“Two-Spirit” was not intended to be interchangeable with “LGBT Native American” or “Gay Indian” rather, it was created to serve as a pan-Indian unifier. It encompasses a number of understandings of gender and sexuality among many Indigenous North Americans — has its roots in traditions and cultures dating back centuries.

Check out the video above to learn more about what it means to be Two-Spirit.