Two-Spirit People: Sex, Gender and Sexuality in Historical & Contemporary Native America
Channel: Transformative Media Organizing Project
Date: 20/11/2015

The indigenous peoples of North America have many cultural traditions that have often been misrepresented or suppressed through the colonization process.  Many of these are significantly different perspectives about sex, gender and sexuality than those imported from Western Europe.  In the 21st century, one tradition that was nearly lost is what is generically referred to as Two-Spirit, known today as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender Native peoples.

This Skillshare will provide information and resources on Two-Spirit community, one of the most often underrepresented communities in the media and mainstream culture and politics, and how the Two-Spirit Journal is working to put a face and voice to the diverse & vibrant Two-Spirit community in the United States and Canada. Two-Spirit Journal will also share an event planning and management tool that lays the groundwork for the development of a media strategy to amplify message of the action.

Facilitated by Harlan Pruden. Harlan Pruden (First Nations Cree/nehiyaw), is Managing Editor of the TwoSpiritJournal.com (2SJ), an interactive multi-platform Two-Spirit media/news site. 2SJ provides original content of news and current events to educate, build connectivity and to put a face and voice to the diverse & vibrant Two-Spirit community in the United States and Canada. Harlan is a co-founder and former Director of the NorthEast Two-Spirit Society, a NYC based organization. Harlan works to organize the Two-Spirit community locally, nationally and internationally. In August 2014, Harlan was appointed to the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) where he works to provide advice, information, and recommendations to the Secretary of Health & Human Services and the White House regarding programs and policies intended to promote effective prevention of HIV disease, and to advance research on HIV disease and AIDS. Harlan was one of the lead organizers of the National Confederacy of Two-Spirit Organizations. He serves as the principal Two-Spirit consultant and expert panel member to Substance Abuse Mental Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Tribal Training and Technical Assistance Center and also serves as an Honorary Committee Member of the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services at the University of Alberta, Canada. He is also a Native Community Advisory Expert Panel member for the University of Washington’s Indigenous Wellness Research Center. In the spring of 2013, Harlan was appointed to the International Indigenous Peoples Working Group on HIV/AIDS. After committing himself to sobriety 27 years ago, Harlan was the first person in his family to attend college and now devotes his life to First Nations community organizing.