Ben Waber reviewed Reclaiming Two-Spirits by Gregory D. Smithers
An Eye-Opening Tour Through History
5 stars
This is an impressive and important work of scholarship, tracing the history and cultural role of LGBTQ+ and two spirit people throughout Native American history. Smithers finely parses the historical archaeological and later historical record, providing excellent context on (almost always colonial) source material to demonstrate how deeply ingrained these people have been across many indigenous North American societies and how significantly gender norms differed with colonial powers. Smithers follows this history to the present day, adding in interviews with current activists and thinkers in the space. If you're at all interested in North American history, indigenous rights, or gender, this is the book for you. Highly recommend
This is an impressive and important work of scholarship, tracing the history and cultural role of LGBTQ+ and two spirit people throughout Native American history. Smithers finely parses the historical archaeological and later historical record, providing excellent context on (almost always colonial) source material to demonstrate how deeply ingrained these people have been across many indigenous North American societies and how significantly gender norms differed with colonial powers. Smithers follows this history to the present day, adding in interviews with current activists and thinkers in the space. If you're at all interested in North American history, indigenous rights, or gender, this is the book for you. Highly recommend