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Sacri cial lambs

A “two-spirit” perspective on

living and dying for others

gions in their wars against each other have true selves, we are told there are only two ce was for the strength of our society.
by Christopher Peguero
one common agreement that has made us genders and very speci c rules for each. The lambs who were sacri ced were
Special to the SGN
their prey. We and society as a whole can- If we don’t follow the rules we are bullied men and women of color, they were Latinx
not forget our traditional role as healers, or beaten by our peers, and often we are and afro-Latinx, they were immigrants,
teachers, and the holders of wisdom and re- also beaten by our birth families or kicked they were Trans* and non-gender-con- LGBTQ people have always bene ted
ligion. Central to healing from our collec- out to fend for ourselves on the street. If forming, they were young. White main- society by being sacri cial lambs.
Being two-spirit Menominee from Wis- tive trauma of Orlando must be inclusion we are two-genders as adults taking in sol- stream LGBTQ organization need to make
consin on my mother’s side and Mexican of our Muslim LGBTQ family as well, and diers because there are not enough wom- sure that in our collective grief, healing
American on my father’s side, I always reconciliation to modern religion.
en in the tribe, we often sacri ce our lives and re-centering our cause from our pain,
knew that Queer and non-gender-con- We still sacri ce our lives every day through brutal rape and murder, especially that we not lose sight of our non-gen-
forming people from my cultures played a in modern society. There is a price to be if we are a two-spirit of color.
der-conforming immigrants and com-
very critical role in society, often the most openly out as our true selves in a society munities of color. We need to center our We have fought and won to be our true
important and least recognized. We were that is still coming to terms of our open ex- work to elevate them into leadership roles selves to sacri ce our own physical bod-
medicine men and women and nomen, istence. As we are reaching our adulthood in our organizations and ght for LGBTQ ies to be soldiers. We fought and won to
teachers, healers. In times of war, we were and independence, we often sacri ce the immigrant rights and Trans* and non-gen- be our true selves to follow the dominant
regarded by both sides as neutral and took connection to our birth families to be our der-conforming rights and equal visibili- rules of our binary brothers and sisters
wounded soldiers off of the battle eld to true selves. We are limited in our ability ty. This is the minimum that mainstream of marriage. We sacri ced our blood to
heal them. In marital disputes, we were to gain equal employment opportunities, white LGBTQ organizations must do to
nd the cure to a disease that doesn’t care
the counselors who kept binary genders to- rarely being able to openly be ourselves in about such things as gender or sexual ori- nd justice for our lambs’ sacri ce.
gether to keep the tribe strong and regener- leadership positions regardless of job sec- entation. We continue to ght to give that As I was coming into work today, there
ating. When there wasn’t an equal number tor, whether private, nonpro t, or govern- blood now when we have the science to de- were Pride ags and American ags at
of women and men in the tribe, we would ment. We are often red from our jobs if tect those diseases so that in times of cri- half-staff. This is our month of celebration
change our genders if needed for the har- we reveal our true selves. We are limited in sis we can continue to sacri ce our bodies and recognition for the need to continue to
mony and strength of the tribe.
our ability to gain or can be denied housing and heal those in need.
ght for our ability to sacri ce and contin-
for ourselves, partner, partners, husband or In ancient Western cultures, we played Now, as we have given the sacri ce of ue to uphold our tribe. I don’t remember
wife, and children. We are limited in our the role of governors and policy makers, our young lambs to limit our own tribe’s a time before today that our sacri ce was
ability to care for children who have no holding society up and maintaining order soldiers’ access to weapons and destruc- honored in such a way by our dominant bi-
mother or father when our desire is to make as the main workers of government.
tion on our own tribe – we cannot forget nary brothers and sisters. As we are cele-
families to keep the tribe strong. When we who those lambs were and the limits they We still play the role of holding soci- brating our importance to uplift and hold
age and become elders, regardless of how faced. Many who were there at the sac- ety up, holding up our binary brothers and society together, honoring our sacri ces,
true and open we have been in our youth, ri ce still remain and will heal, and we sisters, teachers of our children, comfort please honor them by recognizing their
often we have to put on our mask again should make sure that they are rewarded for our soldiers, and developers of the rules uniqueness and our responsibility to be
to be taken care of as we prepare for our with equality and opportunity so that their that govern.
inclusive. By all means, do not whitewash
own death. As children, if we reveal our
sacri ce was not in vain. Again, this sacri-
this sacri ce.
Modern fundamental aspects of all reli-

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June 24, 2016
Seattle Gay News 5