Souksavahn Keovorabouth, 29, is a member of the Navajo Nation. They are an Assistant Professor at Northern Arizona University in Women and Gender Studies and Applied Indigenous Studies, both holding a PhD in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Oregon State University and pursuing a PhD in Indigenous Studies from Macquarie University in Australia. As a Queer, Trans and Two-Spirit person, and with an identity deeply rooted in their Diné culture and traditions, Souksavahn has dedicated their life and education to uplifting the voices of other Queer, Trans, and Two-Spirit people and raising awareness of both the systems created to oppress those communities and their resilience.

The Resilience of Indigenous Queer Communities

According to research, 84.4% of Two-Spirit people face bias-related victimization and are 2.79 times more likely to experience anxiety disorders, depression, or substance abuse. In 2015, it was reported that 3.8% of the Navajo Nation population identifies as LGBTQ+ and 40.1% of Navajo youth experienced physical harassment due to their sexual orientation.

“Despite the deliberate erasure of Indigenous Queer, Trans, and Two-Spirit peoples, we have achieved notable milestones in asserting our presence. Despite ingoing challenges, our resilience empowers us to continue sharing our stories.”