ENGL 222
Gender and sex have often been recurring themes in Canadian
literature, from the writings of Indigenous peoples reflecting their
unique views on gender identity, such as Two-Spirit, the early more
ridged view of gender and sex of the European settlers, to more
modern explorations of gender and sexuality, including LGBTQ+
identities and the diverse experiences carried by various immigrant
communities. Gender and sexuality have always been a key part of
Canadian literature.
In canadian literature Indigenous people were flexible in gender
roles but rigid among settler community (Eidinger 2020).
Every community had differents views on gender and sex
(Eidinger).
Some belief men and women had different roles. - men fought and
hunted / women gathered food and managed home (Eidinger).
Many communities also believed that gender is fluid (Eidinger).
Being gender flexible, people even changed gender for the rituals (Eidinger).
There were even intersex or non-binary people in the community and they were
accepted that way (Eidinger).
Many even lived their lives as male after being born as female and some lived as female
born as male (Eidinger).
People like them were even called and respected as Healers, spiritual leaders & two-
spirit (Eidinger).
Indigenous people were connected with nature and considered unique and rare as holly.
.People like men who dress like women and vice versa
furthermore women who did men work and vice versa
were considered a part of two-spirited. (Filice).
They were similar to Homo-sexual and Hetero sexual as
early there were no particular words to describe them
but there were some stories of women transitioning to
men and marrying another women (Filice).
They were Spiritual leaders and storytellers, even they
had visions of the future and psychic powers (Filice).
“When i went outside to fling away the water, he was there, down on the rocks below me,
half-man, half-fish. His green scales glittered like sequins in the water sunlight.” (Thomas 379)
This portrays what people must have felt like seeing two-spirit people, they were attracted
to them due to their uniqueness and beauty and like they were good storytellers they
communicated very easily with new people and manage to blend into them.
They only considered 2 genders, men and women (Eidinger
2020).
Men were superior gender given property and political rights
(Eidinger).
Women were dependant on the husband and they were kept to
raise children and as a homemaker (Eidinger).
As stated by Eidinger “Once a woman was married, she was no
longer considered to be a legal person” which signifies the
state of the women during this period, as equality was a dream
for them (Eidinger).
Awareness about the two-spirited people have been increased internally and
outside indigenous community (Filice 2015).
A new community has been found named LGBTTIQQ2S which continue to
raise awareness among people about (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual,
Transgender, Intersexual, Queer, Questioning, 2-Spirited) (Filice).
Despite the awareness people two-spirit people still face discrimination on
gender and violence (Filice).
Movies like Two Spirits (2009) by Lydia Nibley, shows the tragic story of 16
year old two-spirit person death and history of LGBTQ people in indigenous
community (Filic).
Indigenous people are now using art to connect two-spirit
and non two-spirit people by sharing their identities, culture
and stories (Filice 2015).
Still some two-spirited Indigenous people struggle to find the
acceptance in the community and their individual identity.
Films like First Stories -Two Spirited (2007) by Sharon A.
Desjarlais and Fire Song (2015) by Cree-Métis director Adam
Garnet Jones both demonstrate the citation and struggles of
two-spirited people.
People did not follow all the rules, women had rights
(Eidinger 2020).
They not only participated in politics but did
businesses and were bread earners as well (Eidinger).
Some men loved to spend time with their family, play
with their kids and helped around the house (Eidinger).
Nature and identity : The “clam eyes” link to
nature, reflecting indigenous connections to
the land and how canadian literature
explores identity through natural imagery.
Alienation: The narrator feels distant and
unsure, similar to how indigenous people
experience alienation in colonial society.
Power imbalance:The unequal relationship mirrors
the exploitation and misunderstanding in setter -
indigenous relationships.
Silent voices: The absence of indigenous
perspectives reflects how Canadian literature often
overlooks indigenous stories, highlighting colonial
erasure.
The modern gender roles
The separation of Gender Sex and Sexuality
The LGBT rights movement
Gender Dysphoria ,transgender, and other gender minorities
New Gender in media
Casey learning to accept her self over time
not just as a women but the more
“Masculine” part as well (Plett)
Her dad leaving to see her as a daughter
(Plett)
Canada’s culture of acceptance and place
as a “safe space” for LGBT people
Casey’s dad - “5-HOUR ENERGY SHOTS, THREATENING TRUCK DRIVERS,
AND PACKING BOTH KINDS OF GENITALS,OR,MY DAD”
(Plett)
Growing into a new gender accepting
your self for been trans
Accepting the more “masculine” part
of myself as the identity grows
The change in the attitude of parents
Casey - “5-HOUR ENERGY SHOTS, THREATENING TRUCK DRIVERS, AND
PACKING BOTH KINDS OF GENITALS,OR,MY DAD”
(Plett)
Plett, Casey. “Column 10: 5-Hour Energy Shots, Threatening Truck Drivers, and Packing Both Kinds of Genitals, or, My Dad.” McSweeney’s Internet
Tendency, 28 Mar. 2011, [Link]/articles/column-10-5-hour-energy-shots-threatening-truck-drivers-and-packing-both-kinds-of-genitals-or-my-dad .
The soul of gender and sex in Canadian littriture
