In 1990, Elder Myra Laramee, a member of the Fisher River Cree Nation, introduced the term “two-spirit” during the Third Annual Intertribal Native American, First Nations, Gay and Lesbian American Conference held in Winnipeg, Canada. This term acknowledges the gender-nonconforming and LGBTQ+ Indigenous ancestors who have been around since pre-colonial times and continue to exist..
In recent decades, many LGBTQ Indigenous people have begun using the umbrella phrase "two-spirit," while others are embracing terms from their own nations, in their own languages.
Joshua Whitehead has been busy. First, the Oji-Cree author published his cyberpunky debut poetry collection, full-metal indigiqueer, with Talonbooks in 2017. The following year, he released Jonny Appleseed, a novel about a queer cybersex worker in Winnipeg on a frantic, feverish quest to make it home to the rez in time for a funeral. Jonny