Queering Indigeneity. A brief examination of the impact of…
By: Lauren Szkudlarek-Kee
Tags: History, International Relations, Politics, Queer Theory, Indigenous People

A brief examination of the impact of Indigenous People on Queer International Relations

(This is an excerpt from “Queer International Relations: A Theoretical and Practical Approach” by Lauren Szkudlarek-Kee M.A.)

Many rich histories have been lost to the world due to the process of colonization. This is due to not only the lack of records at the time but rather the fact that those who colonized put themselves above the aboriginal people which affected how they documented the behaviours. This leads to the issue of looking at the records of queer individuals in North America is the lense in which they have been presented to us. The notes on the sexualities and genders of the ingenious people have been taken almost exclusively by people who were colonizing the land. For this reason, the information is presented in a way that makes people seem strange or exotic, which should be kept in mind when exploring the available documents, that it is difficult to find how the individuals identify themselves and their sexualities. The “othering” or labelling the groups as primitive was a common occurrence during this time, so that has created an offensive dialogue around the actions of these native peoples.

The concept of “settler sexuality” that was previously discussed is a driving force behind the colonists view on the gender and sexuality, along with racism, sexism, and homophobia that existed at this time. Contemporary terminology did not exist for the observation to be completely accurate in their portrayals of gender and sexuality, often referring to the action that was taking place rather than giving it a label. Even though the labels we used today did not exist, it is no doubt that these communities have abundant queer populations. A passage that is famous for the description of gender relations in aboriginal culture was that of Joseph Francois Lafitau, who stated that,

“there are women with manly courage who prided themselves upon the profession of warrior…There were also men cowardly enough to live as women…they believe they are honoured by debasing themselves to all of women’s occupations; they never marry (Joseph Francois Lafitau, quoted in Katz, 1976:288).”

By this description, it seems clear that the native people were engaging in gender, and to an extent, sexual, activities that were outside the European norm. It is also clear that Lafitau saw these activities as deepening and “primitive”, further the “other” notion. Many assumptions have been about these people based on the observed actions alone. Heterosexuality and a strict gender binary became synonymous with “civilized” which would later play a role in how native North Americans obtained citizenship in the colonized country (Cannon, 1998; 4)

Legislation: yesterday, today, and the future

The first legitimate form of legislation that was passed regarding the people by the Canadian government was the Indian Act of 1876. The entire act is formulated from a settler’s perspective and did not take into account the many forms of relationships forged by the people in their communities. It seemed that the act worked as a way to regulate the sexuality of this population. This attempt at regulation is apparent when looking at the wording of the act, one that emphasises the reproductive value of the aboriginal people. The act of only valuing a person based on their bodies (and what their bodies can produce) is an issue that is addressed in Marxist Theory. The discrimination that queer minorities face has many levels, one being the level that capitalism saw the native peoples bodies as public domain, thus something that can be exploited for profit. A same-sex relationship in the eyes of the colonisers would not be seen as profitable since it would not produce an off-spring. An off-spring would need to continue the profitability of the couple. The western notion of capitalism, coupled with religious extremism created an environment that attempted to erase any existence of any non-heterosexual relationship (Cannon, 1998).

Though there has been progress on the policy front, and on an international level as well, the right to self-determination is starting to become a problem for these groups. Thirty-six per cent of Native American transgender individuals have reported losing employment based on their gender identity (CAP, 2015; 10). The work to rebuild themselves after the devastating effects of colonialism can be seen in every aspect of their lives, and this is not unique to native North Americans. The systematic oppression imposed on aboriginal individuals, and doubly so for Queer individuals, is a significant concern for those who are working to undo the consequences of colonisation. Many indigenous feminist activists have played a part in the current status of the liberation movement. These activist are harassing the anger felt by the communities and intersecting the two to move the people towards change.

Conclusion: What does this mean for Queer International Relations?

This case is not unique to the Native North Americans, and this is something that should be kept in the forefront of the minds of those who are making the legislations for these groups. While this concept has its origins with the native groups in Canada, there has been a recent push to bring queer issues to the forefront of Indigenous Liberation Movement in the United States. To a lesser extent, countries such as Australia and Malwaili have seen a rise in the global recognition of their Queer population (Morgensen, 2012) The rich history that the queer population has in these areas is starting to be told, no longer through the lens of a colonial perspective, but from the lived experiences of those that have been affected by the colonial legislation. This is not to say that they have had success in the legislative realm, many post-colonial countries still have laws in the countries that forbid any form of same-sex relationships; for many the penalty being death. In the next chapter, I will present the formula I believe will be most beneficial to queer communities on a global level, and this will include the importance of local-level recognition.

To draw another comparison, in the essay ‘Queer Settler Colonialism in Canada and Israel: Articulating Two-Spirit and Palestinian Queer Critiques’ the author Scott Lauria Morgensen, draws the comparison between the indigenous groups in Canada and those in Palestine. Both populations are fighting against the settlers who are attempting to erase not only the population but the culture as well. The struggle colonized groups face in the journey to self-determination is not an isolated challenge, and this was highlighted in the comparison. The queer individuals in Native North America share many commonalities with the people in Palestine, both on journeys to reclaim what was lost in hopes of finding a future for their community. Aspirations to speak for one’s own people’s liberation and freedom can be seen in almost every movement that exists, specifically those who are oppressed in the name of identity politics. (Morgensen, 2012)

Perhaps it is too optimistic to think that the queer community has the power to bring peace to the international sphere, or that it will be able to save IR theory from its untimely demise, but possibly, it will allow those who have been erased by history to have a platform to speak of their experiences. This case study shows how important giving a voice to those who fall outside of the IR spectrum is when moving forward in Queer International Relations.