The Basket & the Bow: A Gathering of Lesbian & Gay Native Americans

Minneapolis: [American Indian Gays & Lesbians], 1988. 8-1/2 x 5-1/2 inches. Bifolium, [4]pp. Lavender stock printed in black. Slight creasing to lower corner; small spot to front leaf. Very Good.

Program for the first international gathering of the LGBTQ+ Indigenous American community, held in Minneapolis on June 18th and 19th, 1988. The event was named "The Basket & the Bow" after a ceremony shared by many Great Basin tribes in which a child upon reaching puberty could choose their role in the community, regardless of gender, by selecting either a basket or a bow: a basket represented traditional female roles, and a bow traditional male roles. After the success of the first "The Basket & the Bow" event -- over 60 participants attended from Canada and the U.S. -- it became an annual gathering. In its third year, Dr. Myra Laramee introduced the term "Two-Spirit" to describe Indigenous people who embody both male and female aspects, and the event became known as the International Two Spirit Gathering, although it has had various different names since its inception. The event is still ongoing, and brings together LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit Indigenous individuals every year at a different location in the U.S. or Canada.

The program included sessions such as, "Spiritual Practices," "Being Out: Reservation and Urban Perspective"; "Her Giveaway: A Spiritual Journey with AIDS," "Effective Community Organizing Model," "Chemical Dependency," "Relationships (1. Indian Only; 2. Non-Indian Lovers)," "Building Coalitions: Homophobia / Racism / Classism & How They Relate," and "Challenge for the Future." A feast, entertainment, and music rounded out the gathering.

Numerous people were involved either in planning, advising, or contributing to the event, including Randy Burns, co-founder of Gay American Indians (GAI); Black lesbian feminist Barbara Smith; the Gay & Lesbian Community Action Council; Richard LaFortune, and Betsy Revard.

Not located in OCLC, although we note one copy at the Newberry Library.