Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A person, especially a Native American man, who assumes the gender identity and is granted the social status of the opposite sex.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective theology pertaining to the doctrine of dualism in the so-called "Treatise on the Two Spirits" in the Qumran scrolls (IQS IV 5, 6)
  • noun a berdache, a person with "third gender" identity among Native Americans.
  • noun a gender category comprising "two-spirit" individuals

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

two+spirit.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

two+spirit. A politically correct neologism for berdache advocated since the early 1990s.

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Examples

  • Some cultures like Native Americans would revere ‘two-spirit’ people, and often they would fulfil the role of a healer.

    2009 February « I’m Not Broken 2009

  • Some cultures like Native Americans would revere ‘two-spirit’ people, and often they would fulfil the role of a healer.

    Lets Talk Labels « I’m Not Broken 2009

  • Either way, most queer, trans, and two-spirit youth experience some form of verbal of physical harassment in school.

    That's so me Jes Battis 2008

  • These rituals ensured the child was truly two-spirit.

    Archive 2009-05-01 Renee 2009

  • Oh, and the "settings" feature has a two-spirit level function.

    Xmas Present Steve Perry 2009

  • Counsellors provided by the school board have to be “educated” in the knowledge and skills required to deal with “LGBTTQ issues” yes, including "two-spirit" issues.

    Is Your “Two-Spirit” Preference Being Discriminated Against? « Unambiguously Ambidextrous 2009

  • The Board of Education says it is committed to establishing a safe and positive learning environment for all students, including those who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, two-spirit, questioning of sexual orientation, or question of gender identity.

    Is Your “Two-Spirit” Preference Being Discriminated Against? « Unambiguously Ambidextrous 2009

  • In my reading it is has become clear that colonization has had some affect on how acceptable a two-spirit identity is within indigenous communities, however it is my hope, that they will stand fast to their traditional values because they are clearly so much more advanced than that which the European colonizing culture has to offer.

    Archive 2009-05-01 Renee 2009

  • The Board will provide a safe environment, free from harassment and discrimination, while also promoting pro-active strategies and guidelines to ensure that lesbian, gay, transgender, transsexual, two-spirit, bisexual and questioning students, employees and families are welcomed and included in all aspects of education and school life and treated with respect and dignity.

    Is Your “Two-Spirit” Preference Being Discriminated Against? « Unambiguously Ambidextrous 2009

  • If you reference their helpful glossary at the bottom you can find out what the difference between transsexual and transgender means, as well as learn that “two-spirit” is a native reference to describe people in their culture who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender:

    Is Your “Two-Spirit” Preference Being Discriminated Against? « Unambiguously Ambidextrous 2009

Comments

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  • n A person, especially a Native American man, who assumes the sexual identity and is granted the social status of the opposite sex. See berdache: a person with "third gender" identity among Native Americans (a term considered disrespectful by most Native Americans).

    November 21, 2015