What does 2SLGBTQ+ stand for?

  • 2S - Two-Spirit

  • L - Lesbian

  • G - Gay

  • B - Bisexual

  • T - Transgender

  • Q - Queer and Questioning

  • + indicates that there are many other identities that are not included in this acronym and that those identities are also valid.

    2S stands for Two-Spirit, which is an identity that some Indigenous people hold. Not all queer Indigenous people identify as Two-Spirit. Two-Spirit is an identity that belongs solely to Indigenous people. As white settlers we cannot claim this identity. Indigenous and Two Spirit people are the only ones who can educate us on what it means to be Two-Spirit.

I’ve seen the acronym LGBTQ/GLBT before, why do you choose to use the 2SLGBTQ+ acronym?

Decolonizing queer spaces means using our power and privilege to lift up and centre Indigenous, Black and other People of Colour's lives and legacies. It is our responsibility as white settlers to push ourselves to continue our personal anti-racist work so we can disrupt and dismantle the ongoing systemic violence against IBPOC folks within ourselves, within Canada and around the world.

Becoming used the 2SLGBTQ+ acronym to invite “why 2SLGBTQ+” questions and to encourage conversations around rights, privilege and colonialism. We put Indigenous identities first in the 2SLGBTQ+ and IBPOC acronyms to highlight that statistically and historically violence and racism in Canada is directed primarily at Indigenous peoples.

To believe that the USA is the one with the “racist problem” is to ignore the ongoing violence that is being perpetuated towards Indigenous peoples, their rights and sovereignty.

Becoming operates on unceded and traditional tum-ula7xw (territory) of the Sinixt peoples.