two-spirit

Also two spir·it,
Or Two-Spir·it

[too-spir-it]

noun

1. (among some Indigenous North American peoples)

   1. a person, especially someone assigned male at birth, who adopts the gender identity, dress, and social roles traditionally assigned to a different gender.

   2. a person who adopts some combination of male and female gender identity, dress, and social roles, or who identifies as gay, lesbian, transgender, etc.

   3. any of numerous culturally distinct genders apart from male and female.

adjective

1. being or relating to a person who is a two-spirit.

Other Word Forms

• two-spirited adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of two-spirit¹

Coined in 1990 by Cree educator Myra Laramee at the third annual Intertribal Native American, First Nations, Gay and Lesbian American Conference; coined concurrently with Ojibwe niizh manidoowag “two spirits,” from niizh “two” + manidoo “spirit” ( manitou ( def. ) ) + -wag, plural suffix

Example Sentences

It’s apparently an acronym for Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, with the + covering anybody who feels left out.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But may the Two-Spirit be with the mayor.

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These include labels such as “demiboy,” “genderfluid” or “two-spirit.”

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Instead, the organization will hold a smaller, private “Community Gathering” event for the Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer and Indigenous LGBTQPAI+ communities in L.A. on Saturday, Oct.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In some Indigenous cultures, people who embody both male and female spirits have been identifying as “two-spirit” for thousands of years.

Read more on Salon

When To Use

What does two-spirit mean?

Two-spirit is a third gender found in some Native American cultures, often involving birth-assigned men or women taking on the identities and roles of the opposite sex. A sacred and historical identity, two-spirit can include but is by no means limited to LGBTQ identities.