November 8, 2021
Kai Minosh Pyle, a Ph.D. candidate in American Studies at the University of Minnesota, will share their research at 6 p.m. Nov. 9 in an online presentation titled "Searching for Two-Spirits through Language."
Prof. Pyle described their presentation in this way: "Many LGBTQ Indigenous people today find themselves searching for the history of their queer and trans ancestors. This presentation follows one Two-Spirit person's journey to finding words and stories that reflect their own experience. Through the process of digging through old translations of the Bible and scandalized newspaper articles, writing body-positive poetry in Ojibwe, and taking inspiration from other Two-Spirit activists and artists, we will see how queer and trans Indigenous histories can be reclaimed, presents remastered, and futures reimagined."
Dr. Scott Andrews, director for American Indian Studies at CSUN, invited Professor Pyle to CSUN after hearing the presentation at the "Sovereign Erotic" conference hosted by the American Indian Workshop. He said, "It is a compelling combination of the scholarly and the personal."
The event is co-sponsored by AIS, the College of Humanities, and the departments of English, Gender & Women's Studies, History, Linguistics, and Queer Studies. Nationally, November is Native American Heritage Month, although at CSUN it is recognized as Indigenous Awareness Month.
