Skeptic Ginger
27th June 2011, 10:26 PM
Independent Lens is on now and the film is about a transgender man who was murdered. But the thing I find interesting is the tribal tradition which includes male, female, and transgender of each sex as normal tribal members.
Film Exploring Murder of Navajo Transgender Teen to Air (http://my.firedoglake.com/wendydavis/2011/06/13/film-exploring-murder-of-navajo-transgender-teen-to-air/)From the Independent Lens website (http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/two-spirits/):
Two Spirits interweaves the tragic story of a mother’s loss of her son with a revealing look at the largely unknown history of a time when the world wasn’t simply divided into male and female and many Native American cultures held places of honor for people of integrated genders.
Here's some more background info . I don't know why it is in 2 parts because each one is very short.
Navajo 101 on gender and sexuality: part I of II (http://www.examiner.com/transgender-and-transsexual-issues-in-national/navajo-101-on-gender-and-sexuality-part-i-of-ii#ixzz1QXqp1bD9)
Navajo 101 on gender and sexuality: part II of II (http://www.examiner.com/transgender-and-transsexual-issues-in-national/navajo-101-on-gender-and-sexuality-part-ii-of-ii#ixzz1QXr004wX)
Traditional Navajo people do not believe in a superior gender, but instead devote their being toward melding the two together. From the Navajo point of view each gender holds its own unique flavor, and because one cannot stand without the support of the other, it is up to each and every individual to bring about her/his male and female side. A real man is not all man and a real woman is not all woman—instead they are both, regardless of which gender they identify with.
Furthermore, genitalia holds no say over gender. Genitals are merely a part of one’s sexual organs, and therefore have other special purposes. Some women will have penises and some men will have vaginas. When it comes to gender, it all comes down to what the heart and soul register with—nothing else.In any case, all these examples included, show the different forms of the Two Spirit people. In Navajo culture, they are of very great importance and esteem. Constantly reminding others of life's fluidity, they are thus crucial to the wellbeing of the world.What an interesting concept.
The film discusses the havoc wrecked by the Christian religion which was forced on some of them, but that is not the dominant theme of the film.
Film Exploring Murder of Navajo Transgender Teen to Air (http://my.firedoglake.com/wendydavis/2011/06/13/film-exploring-murder-of-navajo-transgender-teen-to-air/)From the Independent Lens website (http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/two-spirits/):
Two Spirits interweaves the tragic story of a mother’s loss of her son with a revealing look at the largely unknown history of a time when the world wasn’t simply divided into male and female and many Native American cultures held places of honor for people of integrated genders.
Here's some more background info . I don't know why it is in 2 parts because each one is very short.
Navajo 101 on gender and sexuality: part I of II (http://www.examiner.com/transgender-and-transsexual-issues-in-national/navajo-101-on-gender-and-sexuality-part-i-of-ii#ixzz1QXqp1bD9)
Navajo 101 on gender and sexuality: part II of II (http://www.examiner.com/transgender-and-transsexual-issues-in-national/navajo-101-on-gender-and-sexuality-part-ii-of-ii#ixzz1QXr004wX)
Traditional Navajo people do not believe in a superior gender, but instead devote their being toward melding the two together. From the Navajo point of view each gender holds its own unique flavor, and because one cannot stand without the support of the other, it is up to each and every individual to bring about her/his male and female side. A real man is not all man and a real woman is not all woman—instead they are both, regardless of which gender they identify with.
Furthermore, genitalia holds no say over gender. Genitals are merely a part of one’s sexual organs, and therefore have other special purposes. Some women will have penises and some men will have vaginas. When it comes to gender, it all comes down to what the heart and soul register with—nothing else.In any case, all these examples included, show the different forms of the Two Spirit people. In Navajo culture, they are of very great importance and esteem. Constantly reminding others of life's fluidity, they are thus crucial to the wellbeing of the world.What an interesting concept.
The film discusses the havoc wrecked by the Christian religion which was forced on some of them, but that is not the dominant theme of the film.