AMNESTY INTERATIONAL

 

Highlighting issues affecting Indigenous and LGBTQ2S

 communities  

Wedzin Kwa - "the blue and green river" - in Wet'suwet'en yintah.
Image credit: Michael Toledano.    

June 1st marked the beginning of Indigenous History Month* and Pride Month**, a time for members of these communities to celebrate their accomplishments and cultures. It is also one of the many opportunities for us to learn more about their histories and to support the continued advocacy of their rights.  

This month, Amnesty International has curated a series of guest essays directly from the perspectives of community activists and leaders of Indigenous-led and queer-led organizations to highlight various human rights issues affecting both the LGBTQ2S and Indigenous communities, such as the current barriers to justice for Two Spirit, trans, and gender non-conforming individuals; the challenges of displacement for LGBTQI+ Afghans; and the continued systemic barriers towards ending violence against Indigenous women and girls.

Conversations about missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls*** cannot be separated from the 231 Calls for Justice in the 2019 National Inquiry Final Report, which included the demand for “a world within which First Nations, Inuit, and Métis families can raise their children with the same safety, security, and human rights that non-Indigenous families do, along with full respect for the Indigenous and human rights of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis families.” Despite the legal obligation for governments to fully implement the Calls for Justice, this demand still has not yet been fully realized. 

One of the core themes explored within the Report is upholding the agency and expertise of Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people. Our guest essay series is guided by the intent to centre their perspectives and knowledge. For National Indigenous Peoples Day, we are pleased to share two new essays, Epimotew Tastawayik Niso Askiya - Walking in Two Worlds written by Rachel Wuttunee who shares her personal and professional insights as an Indigenous Community Planner; and Industry, Police and MMIWG2S in Wet’suwet’en Yintah, by Jennifer Wickham, who writes on the gendered impacts of resource development and the actions of the RCMP in the Wet'suwet'en territory.

This past month, we have been grateful to support the visibility of organizations like JusticeTrans, Rainbow Railroad, and the Native Women’s Association of Canada and invite you to support their current campaigns, Safe Way Out and the Faceless Dolls Project.

The final essay in our series is about the lived experiences of queer Muslims and the intersections of Islamophobia and homophobia, and will be released on our blog and shared on our Twitter and Instagram accounts on June 29th.

We remain grateful for all opportunities to foster dialogue, awareness and action.

Miigwech, Nakummek. Misiyh. Thank you.

Habibah Haque
Gender Rights Campaigner
Amnesty International Canada 

*Featured in this email's graphic, the Progress Pride flag was developed in 2018 by non-binary American artist and designer Daniel Quasar. The flag includes black and brown stripes to represent LGBTQ2S communities of colour, along with the colours pink, light blue and white, which are used on the Transgender Pride Flag. 

**Bridget Tolley, from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation in Quebec, beaded the eagle earrings featured in this email's graphic. She runs Families of Sisters in Spirit, a volunteer-run, grassroots initiative supporting the loved ones of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and Two Spirit people across Canada.

***This image depicts Indigenous women who are honouring and paying tribute to Missing and Murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people, and was generously provided by NWAC.