Kwe! It's officially ✨Pride Month!✨ Happy Pride to all my friends and enemies alike <3
Just as a reminder (or announcement to those unaware) I am a Two-Spirit Saulteaux-Mi'kmaq person!
My pronouns are she/he/they. You'll usually see me refer to myself as a woman, but this is simply because it's my assigned gender at birth and not because I exclusively identify as a woman (so please don't be worried about using the wrong pronouns on me, I am, as they call me, Miss Gender /j)
But I figured in addition to this ceremonial outing, I wanted to provide some fun facts on the Two-Spirit identity, as there are still many people out there who don't understand the term beyond just being a queer label (it's a lot more complex than just being an Indigenous word for 'trans'!) and oftentimes, the 2S (for Two-Spirit) is noticeably missing from the LGBTQIA+ line-up (though this isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I'll explain more about why below!)
Text version:
Two Spirit (Anishinaabe definition: niizh manidoowag)
To put it simply: a term used to describe Indigenous peoples with both masculine and feminine spirits.
Coined in 1990 by Myra Laramee (Cree Nation), the term was designed as a unifying term for Indigenous peoples to reclaim roles, identities, and teachings that were disrupted by colonization.
Contrary to non-Native belief, Two-Spirit is not simply an Indigenous word for "trans" or "non-binary". Rather, it's often used as an umbrella term for many gender and sexual identities. Most importantly, what distinguishes Two-Spirit as its own unique term is how it uniquely describes the Indigenous experience as it pertains to queerness, separate from that of non-Native peoples.
To inherit the label of Two-Spirit is not just to identify one's own queerness, but also to inherit the roles and responsibilities passed down through individual tribal traditions. It is a term of reclamation and resistance.
Whether an Indigenous person chooses to use Two-Spirit exclusively or in addition to colonial terms within the LGBTQIA2S+ umbrella is their choice. There are even Indigenous peoples who identify solely with colonial labels such as non-binary, trans, and gender fluid, but do not identify as Two-Spirit.
Regardless of how an Indigenous person chooses to use Two-Spirit, it was a word made for Indigenous peoples, by Indigenous peoples - the term is and always will be theirs to choose.
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Of course, there's a lot more to the Two-Spirit identity than I can summarize in a single image, and what the Two-Spirit identity means will vary to different people and tribes. Some people do purely use the term to describe their trans identity or their sexuality; others use it to uphold the traditions of their tribe, especially as they pertain to the roles and responsibilities of members of the tribe, and how gender often influenced those roles and governed those responsibilities.
As an example, in many tribes (see: not all) women were often considered the healers and caretakers of their tribe, while men were considered the protectors and hunters. Within that particular framework, someone who is Two-Spirit would often be embraced as an asset to their communities, as they could fulfill the duties and roles of both men and women, being both caretakers and creators and also protectors and fighters.
But not all Indigenous peoples or tribes define Two-Spirit in that way. Many exclusively use it as a sexuality / gender label, the same way one would use "gay" "bisexual" or "non-binary"; some even doing so as resistance of their own against established gender norms, even as they existed within their own tribes.
What's important is to acknowledge, identify, and respect the term as an Indigenous word. It is not for non-Natives to use for themselves. It is our word, one that we cherish as a sacred thread connecting all Indigenous peoples who've lived through the shared experience of being raised and oppressed under colonialism. While all queer people regardless of race are constantly under threat, it's absolutely vital to recognize and understand how cultural context plays a contributing role in queer oppression, and how the suffering of Indigenous queer people naturally varies from your own.
And so this is why, as I mentioned above, it's not necessarily a bad thing when 2S is excluded from the LGBTQIA+ umbrella - because Two-Spirit encompasses all of that umbrella, but exclusively for that of Indigenous peoples. Same, but different.
At least, that's how I try to rationalize it for myself, but in reality, it's hard to deny that seeing 2S excluded from the umbrella can feel exclusionary, ignorant, and neglectful - but that's all the more reason why I personally choose to take power in its exclusion, because in my view, its exclusion from colonial terminology gives it strength and importance. As for the road to inclusion, we've made some progress - such as having our own flag and symbols - but we've still got a long ways to go.
With all that said, please respect this post as education, not as an invitation. Non-Natives have their words to describe their relationship to sexuality and gender; Two-Spirit is ours, and ours alone.
I hope this was informative for you all, Native and non-Native alike ! Kesalul <3
Ya know, if Shadow is a great singer, I can very much imagine him singing to Maria while she’s recovering in bed because it makes her so happy, and whenever Shadow is watching baby Silver and he’s having a nightmare, he sings to him as well to soothe him back to sleep.
Obviously he won’t sing in front of everyone because it’s his special moment, and he’ll always give Sonic a 0.1/10 in his singing skills, even if Tangle sings like a banshee
Yeah there’s only a small handful of people who would ever hear him sing lol
Posting all my shadamy mermaid AU sketches before the end of mermay 2026 🧜♀️!
In this AU Amy is a sea goddess who fell in love with a pirate from afar. When he flees his burning ship, she seaks him but he is prejudiced and tries to kill her☠️
"Pretty Pretty Please I Don't Want to be a Magical Girl" Bios!
NAME: Aika (she/her)
AGE: 15
VA: Anairis Quiñones
ROLE: Main Protagonist
BIO:
Aika is an easily excitable and energetic girl. She's generally optimistic and very friendly. She's always eager to try new things as long as it's not her fulltime job of being a magical girl.
As soon as her magical girl duties are brought into the picture, her demeanor changes. She checks out, and often looks for the quickest solution to solve the issue. No flashy transformations and special moves here. She's good with a metal baseball bat or a rocket launcher.
All Aika wants is to live a normal life, make friends and go to school. Unfortunately, like every main protagonist, trouble manages to follow her wherever she goes.
___________________________________
NAME: Zira (she/they)
AGE: 16
VA: Bennett Abara
ROLE: Love Interest Best Friend
BIO:
Zira is everything Aika wants to be. Painfully average, under the radar and a self proclaimed loser.
She's a smart girl but has a hard time applying herself. Instead of paying attention in school, Zira usually has her head in the clouds and would much rather be reading her favorite magical girl manga, "Moon Sailor".
After Aika forces her friendship upon them, Zira now has to tag along on all of Aika's escapades and experience new things. Ew.
However, they admire Aika deeply and admire her even more after Aika's magical secret comes to light.
Hoshi is one of many star scouts sent out into the universe to find the next Star Guardian. They’re the one who chose Aika and got promoted to the sought after title of “magical mascot.”
Much like Aika, at first, Hoshi was always very chipper and happy to do their work and fulfill their purpose. However, with Aika losing interest, Hoshi’s mood has also been brought down. They’re a bit more sarcastic these days and although they push Aika to do her job (which she begged for by the way) they try to cut Aika some slack by allowing her to use her weird human weapons. Anything to keep her going, right?
They come off as overbearing, but they do want the best for Aika.
___________________________________
NAME: Eclipse (he/him)
AGE: 15
VA: Aleks Le
ROLE: Minor Antagonist
BIO:
Eclipse is a flamboyant and theatrical guy whose showmanship is out of this world. He refers to himself as "Eclipse: Servant of Darkness".
He was a nuisance that Aika and her team would have to deal with on occasion and normally try to ignore him. Eclipse has deluded himself into thinking that he's Aika's rival and love interest. In his head, their love is simply forbidden as he's chosen the path of darkness and her, the light.
Prior to the beginning of the series, he had no powers, but now he does??? Where did those come from? It's as if he's made a deal with darkness itself…
___________________________________
NAME: Lady DeVoid (she/her)
AGE: Old
VA: Shara Kirby
ROLE: Main Antagonist
BIO:
Lady DeVoid is darkness itself. She's a mysterious being with an incomprehensible amount of power. Power that is currently weakened and that she can't seem to remember how to use for some reason…
All she recalls is that a long time ago she was defeated and banished by a Star Guardian and that she now wants revenge. While unable to use her diminished powers, she finds that she can pass them on to her new lackey, Eclipse.
He's not able to use them much better than her right now but it saves her the embarrassment and it’s better than nothing!
With his help, she hopes to destroy the Star Guardian once and for all.
___________________________________
NAME: Miss (she/her)
AGE: 39
VA: Michele Knotz
ROLE: Side Character
BIO:
Miss is Aika and Zira's very tired teacher.
Looking at her, you might assume she hates her job, but it's quite the opposite. She pours everything into her work and into her students, leaving very little time for her personal life.
She's recently started trying to get it together (after her ex-wife left her) but is still struggling to find that work-life balance.
Prior to Aika enrolling, Miss was Zira's only friend at school and, though she'd never admit it, Zira's probably the closest thing Miss has to a friend also (oof). She's subsequently become a secret Moon Sailor fan, too.
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