Not only does October 11th signify National Coming Out Day, but it’s also Indigenous Peoples’ Day! This commemoration is a way to celebrate Indigenous history, culture, and community. Indigenous Peoples’ Day also seeks to raise awareness around the continued marginalization of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians and the ways that these communities are disproportionately affected by climate change, gender violence, health issues, and mining and drilling on Indigenous lands. While many states and cities have previously recognized Indigenous Peoples Day, this is the first year that the observance has been proclaimed by a U.S. president.
There are many ways recognize and honor the Indigenous people who have historically resided and continue to live in the United States. One way to acknowledge history and recognize the effects of colonialism on Indigenous peoples is to do a Native Land Acknowledgement – you can find out more about Land Acknowledgment here!
October 11th also marks National Coming Out Day, giving us cause to specifically mention and celebrate Indigenous members of the LGBT community! Because of the intersections between two marginalized identities, individuals who are Indigenous and part of the LGBT community often face unique challenges, such as not feeling accepted in either the LGBT community or the Native American Community.
However, it is important to recognize resiliency and queer joy! There are queer Indigenous artists creating amazing works (link here). There is a vast array of literature written by Indigenous Queer and Two-Spirit authors (link here) There are also many organizations and resources centering the for queer Black and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) (link here).