Two-Spirits were not considered binary rather, they embodied a distinct and separate gender - one that combined and balanced both male and female essences. Historically, Two-Spirits were honored for their unique abilities and contributions. As he noted: “ gender, sexuality, and identities supersede Western categorizations of LGBTQ+ because Two-Spirit is a home-calling, it is a home-coming.” Two-Spirit supersedes Western categorizations and is deeply rooted in Native American heritage, ancestors and reverence it must be revered and respected as such. This clear delineation between trans and Two-Spirit became even more evident when the author of “Jonny Appleseed,” Joshua Whitehead, withdrew his book “full-metal indigi-queer” from consideration after it received a Lambda nomination for the Trans Poetry category. While this may be due to a lack of knowledge, it is essential to acknowledge that there is a clear distinction between the two, and this distinction must be honored. Today, some confuse transgender and Two-Spirit sexual/gender orientations.
This acceptance was rooted in the spiritual teachings that say ‘all life is sacred.’” The Two Spirit society of Denver defines it as “another gender role believed to be common amongst most, if not all, first peoples of Turtle Island (North America), one that had a proper and accepted place within native societies. It’s an umbrella term that bridges Indigenous and Western understandings of gender and sexuality. So, what exactly is a Two-Spirit? Though the label has only been used since the ’90s, Indigenous individuals have identified as Two Spirit for centuries. Ultimately, Jonny takes us on a heart-wrenching journey as he explores the idea of home as the essence of one’s being the complex, multilayered relationships that we have with our loved ones and how our sexualities and identities profoundly impact our everyday lives. As the novel goes on and Jonny prepares for his return home to the rez, he begins to piece these contradictions together, finding meaning in their ruptures. Jonny’s life is a series of contradictions: breaking and healing, pain and love, sorrow and joy. In these seven days we are exposed to a whirlwind of stories - stories about love, trauma, sex, kinship, ambition, his connection with his kokum (grandmother) and his first love (Tias). We follow Jonny’s life over the course of a mere seven days, before he has to return home for his stepfather’s funeral. Jonny, a gay NDN (shorthand spelling for Indian, a term that some Native Americans in the United States use to refer to themselves) who identifies as Two-Spirit Indi-queer, grows up on the reservation (rez) and eventually decides to leave for the big city of Winnipeg, where he becomes a cybersex worker who fetishizes his NDN identity to make ends meet. “Jonny Appleseed” is a transformative book with a riveting plot and salient themes that will move any reader.
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