This document functions as a resource guide on LGBTQ2S+ people in Native communities; it explains the impact that colonization has had on the community and how, previously, LGBTQ2S+ people had important roles in their communities; it gives the history of two-spirit people and the role they play in their communities today; and it explains how that community has become vulnerable to substance use disorder and other related issues including mental health trouble, homelessness, and incarceration.
This document provides a description of the impacts of colonization on Indigenous communities with a focus on Native LGBTQ2S+ people. The document is a resource guide for information related to the following topics: issues for LGBTQ2S+ participants in treatment courts (not Native/Tribal specific), a list of judicial benchmarks and bench cards on LGBTQ2S+ people in state courts, general issues for Native/Tribal LGBTQ2S+ people, and general issues for LGBTQ2S+ people who are not Native or Tribal. The document provides background information about the term “two-spirit,” its origins and uses, and those individuals’ roles in Native societies. The document also includes resources discussing issues for LGBTQ2S+ participants in treatment courts; judicial benchbooks and bench cards on LGBTQ2S+ people in state courts; resources on general issues for Native/Tribal LGBTQ2S+ people; resources on general issues for LGBTQ2S+ people (not Tribal or Native specific); and appendices for Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts (THWCs) with LGBTQ2S+ participants, such as lists of relevant organizations and topics.