{"product_id":"reclaiming-two-spirits-sexuality-spiritual-renewal-sovereignty-in-native-america","title":"Reclaiming Two-Spirits: Sexuality, Spiritual Renewal \u0026 Sovereignty in Native America","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"Provid[es] deeper insight into the experiences, cultures, and futures of Two-Spirit communities.\"\u003cbr\u003e--\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eForeword Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Smithers' book contains a great many citations and tackles that mythology head-on, as it relates to the roles of Two-Spirit persons in the histories of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. But Smithers...goes much further, elaborating on the term \"Two-Spirit\" itself.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e-- \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eBay Area Reporter\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"...a carefully documented work in tune with the tremendous resilience, creativity, and community-building of LGBT Native Americans in overcoming centuries of European persecution, misinterpretation, and appropriation of Indigenous cultures in general and Native sexual and gender diversity in particular.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e-- \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Gay \u0026amp; Lesbian Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"From the onset of colonization until well into the present, the discourse and histories of Two-Spirit Indigenous peoples remains a puzzle for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eReclaiming Two-Spirits\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e will help you solve that puzzle. Using familiar and obscure stories, Smithers skillfully reveals the centrality of Two-Spirit struggles within the matrix of settler colonial domination and the Indigenous struggle for freedom. He reveals the destructive nature of colonial violence and the possibilities of a Two-Spirit future. An original contribution to Indigenous cultural and intellectual histories, an understanding of the links between language and power, and Indigenous futures, this book will not only educate your mind, but will also touch your spirit.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e--Kyle T. Mays (Black\/Saginaw Chippewa), author of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eAn Afro-Indigenous History of the United States\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Gregory D. Smithers's \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eReclaiming Two-Spirits\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e sheds welcome light on the deeply misunderstood topic of how Native Americans with diverse sexual and gender identities relate to both their native cultures and the settler societies--they embrace traditional roles that are often disavowed in their native cultures due to the legacy of colonialism, while at the same time resisting conflation with LGBT identities of Eurocentric origin. Smithers' obvious sympathy for his subject, along with his cogent scholarship, engaging storytelling, and lucid prose, makes the complexly contested space that Two-Spirit people occupy accessible and understandable to general audiences of Natives and settlers alike.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e--Susan Stryker, author of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eTransgender History: The Roots of Today's Revolution\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and founding co-editor, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eTSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\" \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eReclaiming Two-Spirits\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is by far the most compelling study to date of an evolving tradition and way of life that has always operated according to a cultural logic of its own and that we can appreciate fully only by taking that cultural logic seriously. Setting aside Anglo-American assumptions and categories, Smithers has listened closely to Two-Spirit people in the present and to traces of their voices in historical sources. This book is a major contribution to our understanding of Native American cultures and to an authentically diverse history of gender and sexuality.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e--Richard Godbeer, author of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eSexual Revolution in Early America\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\" \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eReclaiming Two-Spirits\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is the book that we've been waiting for! Finally, a readable and reliable guide to the history of America's Two-Spirit people.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e--Rachel Hope Cleves, author of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eCharity and Sylvia: A Same-Sex Marriage in Early America\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Smithers's \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eReclaiming Two-Spirits\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e compels readers to rethink gender and sexuality from the nonbinary point of view of Indigenous cultures, which uses gender-neutral and polyvalent words to express an array of identities. Smithers recovers the Two-Spirits who lie hidden beneath the homophobic language of archival records, obliging not only historians but everyone who cares about Indigenous peoples to be more aware of gender biases and how language is a tool of colonization.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e--David Martínez (Akimel O'odham\/Hia Ced O'odham\/Mexican), author of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eLife of the Indigenous Mind\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Lost teachings are found in this compelling revelation on the complexity of Two-Spirit people. Based on chronicles of Native culture and historical documents, as well as oral histories and interviews, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eReclaiming Two-Spirits\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e offers an understanding of how Two-Spirit gives balance in a binary world. A reminder to everyone to have more empathy and compassion.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e--Lynette Allston, chief of the Nottoway Indian Tribe of Virginia\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Arvida Book Co.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49945835700455,"sku":"","price":21.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0449\/4075\/5096\/files\/ScreenShot2024-07-12at4.47.40PM.png?v=1720828257","url":"https:\/\/arvidabookco.com\/products\/reclaiming-two-spirits-sexuality-spiritual-renewal-sovereignty-in-native-america","provider":"Arvida Book Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}