The Native American The Native American Medicine WheelMedicine Wheel

The medicine wheel also represents the four The medicine wheel also represents the four races of man of all of the nation’s people. Yellow races of man of all of the nation’s people. Yellow

for those people in Asia, white for those from for those people in Asia, white for those from Europe, black for those from Africa, and Red for Europe, black for those from Africa, and Red for those from the Americas. The medicine wheel those from the Americas. The medicine wheel

depicts many important values in Lakota society depicts many important values in Lakota society while maintaining the importance of while maintaining the importance of

interconnectedness between the people and interconnectedness between the people and nature. Let the Lakota society live in the natural nature. Let the Lakota society live in the natural world instead of the European man’s world that world instead of the European man’s world that

they are something they are not.they are something they are not.

A girl named ZINNIEA girl named ZINNIE Two spiritedTwo spirited

• The Navajo used the word “nádleehí” to describe The Navajo used the word “nádleehí” to describe people who embodied both masculine and feminine people who embodied both masculine and feminine traits. They were among the hundreds of Native traits. They were among the hundreds of Native communities that celebrated and revered tribe communities that celebrated and revered tribe members who lived outside binary male/female members who lived outside binary male/female restrictions. As today’s Native communities fight to restrictions. As today’s Native communities fight to revitalize the culture that was beaten out of them, revitalize the culture that was beaten out of them, gay and transgender Natives are reclaiming this gay and transgender Natives are reclaiming this aspect of their ancestry by identifying as two-spirit aspect of their ancestry by identifying as two-spirit –- a unifying term that serves as a catch-all for the –- a unifying term that serves as a catch-all for the many variations of sexuality and gender identity. In many variations of sexuality and gender identity. In Lakota language they are called Winkte.Lakota language they are called Winkte.

• Two-spirit people were seen as a gift in Native Two-spirit people were seen as a gift in Native American culture, viewed as a third gender with a American culture, viewed as a third gender with a heightened spiritual connectedness and a significant heightened spiritual connectedness and a significant role to play. However, the forced Western role to play. However, the forced Western colonization injected tribal communities with strong colonization injected tribal communities with strong anti-gay attitudes that, for the most part, continue to anti-gay attitudes that, for the most part, continue to reign supreme today. As two-spirits try to reclaim reign supreme today. As two-spirits try to reclaim their historical culture, it is vital for the LGBT their historical culture, it is vital for the LGBT community to start paying attention to history as community to start paying attention to history as well.well.

• I had the honor of speaking with seasoned two-spirit I had the honor of speaking with seasoned two-spirit activist Richard LaFortune, whose wisdom made it activist Richard LaFortune, whose wisdom made it painfully clear how shortsighted the LGBT civil rights painfully clear how shortsighted the LGBT civil rights movement has become. While much of the current movement has become. While much of the current focus is on the state-by-state status of legal focus is on the state-by-state status of legal relationship recognition, LaFortune reveals that relationship recognition, LaFortune reveals that many Native cultures enjoyed marriage equality for many Native cultures enjoyed marriage equality for same-sex couples well before European settlers same-sex couples well before European settlers arrived. It isn’t surprising that anti-gay activists didn’t arrived. It isn’t surprising that anti-gay activists didn’t bother to consult Native American history before bother to consult Native American history before constantly regurgitating “marriage has always been constantly regurgitating “marriage has always been between one man and one woman” talking points. between one man and one woman” talking points. Real Native Americans were in this country before Real Native Americans were in this country before the first non native European Spaniard Conquestos the first non native European Spaniard Conquestos that came to this country and came to the other that came to this country and came to the other Americas-Central and South Americas and killed off 90 Americas-Central and South Americas and killed off 90 percent of Natives and forced them to speak their non percent of Natives and forced them to speak their non native European Spaniard language and where told to native European Spaniard language and where told to shut up about the two spirited culture. The European shut up about the two spirited culture. The European Spaniard Conquestos were the first Europeans to bring Spaniard Conquestos were the first Europeans to bring slaves from Africa to the Americas, last the other slaves from Africa to the Americas, last the other Europeans which were the English in which they came Europeans which were the English in which they came after the first Europeans Spaniard Conquestos to the rest after the first Europeans Spaniard Conquestos to the rest of North America. of North America.

THE TWO SPIRITED FIRST NATIONS THE TWO SPIRITED FIRST NATIONS REAL NATIVE AMERICAN LGBT People REAL NATIVE AMERICAN LGBT People from A girl named ZINNIEfrom A girl named ZINNIE• I want to tell you of the two-spirited I want to tell you of the two-spirited

indigenous people of the Apache indigenous people of the Apache tribe that were revered and tribe that were revered and honored like Zinnie and Sam, honored like Zinnie and Sam, should be. The people were the should be. The people were the Apache Sapatan Payo. They were Apache Sapatan Payo. They were the spiritual healers and visionaries the spiritual healers and visionaries of the tribe and they also existed in of the tribe and they also existed in hundreds of other Indian tribes. hundreds of other Indian tribes. (Fade to a beautiful scene of North (Fade to a beautiful scene of North America before Europeans and all America before Europeans and all its wildlife) In the Lakota tribe they its wildlife) In the Lakota tribe they were called the Winkte and were a were called the Winkte and were a gift to the tribe. They were the gift to the tribe. They were the ones who looked after the orphans, ones who looked after the orphans, just as the two of you are. You are just as the two of you are. You are looking after the orphan pups and looking after the orphan pups and in turn the wolf guardianship will in turn the wolf guardianship will look after your spirits too. The look after your spirits too. The wolves are our teachers on how we wolves are our teachers on how we take care of our family.take care of our family.

Support Education-Support Education-The Neuroscience of BullyingThe Neuroscience of Bullying

Support the FAIR EDUCATION ACT FOR LGBT REAL Support the FAIR EDUCATION ACT FOR LGBT REAL AMERICANS where LGBT history & social science exist and AMERICANS where LGBT history & social science exist and LGBT are protected like other minority groups. LGBT are protected like other minority groups.

• It turns out teens share an important It turns out teens share an important neurobiological flag for stress with infants and neurobiological flag for stress with infants and toddlers. Elevated levels of the hormone cortisol toddlers. Elevated levels of the hormone cortisol present under conditions of both physical and present under conditions of both physical and verbal abuse hurts teen brains, too.verbal abuse hurts teen brains, too.

A A recent study by brain scientist Martin recent study by brain scientist Martin TeicherTeicher, a , a Boston-area neuroscientist, shows that older Boston-area neuroscientist, shows that older children subjected to persistent verbal bullying by children subjected to persistent verbal bullying by their peers or adults at school showed the same their peers or adults at school showed the same kinds of abnormalities as kids who were physically kinds of abnormalities as kids who were physically harmed. The study, published earlier this year, harmed. The study, published earlier this year, demonstrated that when all other factors for abuse demonstrated that when all other factors for abuse were not an issue, verbal abuse was significantly were not an issue, verbal abuse was significantly linked with higher rates of depression, anxiety, or linked with higher rates of depression, anxiety, or hostility, and victims of taunting or belittling tended hostility, and victims of taunting or belittling tended to be more vulnerable to drug abuse.to be more vulnerable to drug abuse.

A second researcher's work A second researcher's work explores how bullied boys between the ages of 11-1explores how bullied boys between the ages of 11-14 suffer ill effects in memory and other cognitive ab4 suffer ill effects in memory and other cognitive abilities, which can hurt their achievement at schoolilities, which can hurt their achievement at school. Tracy Vaillancourt of the University of Ottawa . Tracy Vaillancourt of the University of Ottawa speculates thatspeculates thatcortisol may, in fact, underlie many of the adverse cortisol may, in fact, underlie many of the adverse effects of bullying: It can weaken the functioning of effects of bullying: It can weaken the functioning of the immune system, and at high levels can damage the immune system, and at high levels can damage and even kill neurons in the hippocampus, and even kill neurons in the hippocampus, potentially leading to memory problems that could potentially leading to memory problems that could make academics more difficult. Indeed, Vaillancourt make academics more difficult. Indeed, Vaillancourt has already found that teens who are bullied has already found that teens who are bullied perform worse on tests of verbal memory than their perform worse on tests of verbal memory than their peers. One of her next studies involves trying to get peers. One of her next studies involves trying to get at this question directly: She will be putting some of at this question directly: She will be putting some of her subjects, now ages 16 and 17, into an MRI her subjects, now ages 16 and 17, into an MRI machine to look for evidence of damage to the machine to look for evidence of damage to the hippocampus.hippocampus.

The hippocampus typical governs long-term memory and in older people is The hippocampus typical governs long-term memory and in older people is commonly affected first when Alzheimer strikes. The corpus callosum, the commonly affected first when Alzheimer strikes. The corpus callosum, the part of the brain found affected in Teicher's work, connects the halves of part of the brain found affected in Teicher's work, connects the halves of the brain together. the brain together.

In the short-term, bullied children show cognitive damage and a tendency In the short-term, bullied children show cognitive damage and a tendency toward poor school performance. In the long term, cumulative brain toward poor school performance. In the long term, cumulative brain trauma can lead, trauma can lead, some psychiatrists to diagnose Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in asome psychiatrists to diagnose Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in adults,dults, depending on the severity and duration of the childhood bullying. This is a depending on the severity and duration of the childhood bullying. This is a crucial insight--just as we know physical abuse by adults creates lasting crucial insight--just as we know physical abuse by adults creates lasting damage in children, it's becoming clearer that verbal or emotional abuse damage in children, it's becoming clearer that verbal or emotional abuse by a child's peers is enough to create lasting, measurable damage in a by a child's peers is enough to create lasting, measurable damage in a child even as she or he grows older.child even as she or he grows older.One such teen, who was diagnosed with PTSD after prolonged homophobic One such teen, who was diagnosed with PTSD after prolonged homophobic bullying, successfully sued his school district for failing to stop or punish bullying, successfully sued his school district for failing to stop or punish his tormentors. his tormentors.

Neurological research on verbal and other abuse in the landmark case Neurological research on verbal and other abuse in the landmark case NaboznyNabozny v. v. PodlesnyPodlesny,, along with the moral and legal obligation of schools along with the moral and legal obligation of schools to provide safe environments for all students, should convince parents and to provide safe environments for all students, should convince parents and schools to act with urgency to stop cruel words from escalating into sticks schools to act with urgency to stop cruel words from escalating into sticks and stones and lifelong ill-effects on the brain.and stones and lifelong ill-effects on the brain.