Joan-E-Biren-Rusty

By Allison Armijo on July 27, 2025

Allison Armijo

November-December 2025
Features From Current Issue

Essays

Kaomi Moe: Co-ruler to Hawaii’s King

Essay By Dean Hamer: Despite gossip that Kaomi had seduced him, the young king had shown “a fondness for such tempting delights.”

Cultural History

‘Coming In’ as a Two-Spirit Journey

Essay By Chase Bryer: Cree Two-Spirit scholar Alex Wilson describes the Two-Spirit journey as one of “coming in,” a reframing that shifts the focus from public disclosure to a return—a reclaiming of one’s place within family, community, culture, and land.

Cultural History

Native Identities Live On in Africa

Essay By John Motaroki: Today, African LGBT activists are reclaiming these legacies. In Angola, organizations like Iris, an LGBT rights group, draw on chibado traditions to advocate for trans rights, hosting cultural festivals that echo ancient rituals.

Cultural History

South Africa’s Clash of Cultures

Gender fluidity is deeply embedded in African spirituality, which included androgynous and intersex deities.
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