Currently, the issues of sexism, racism, and poverty have been adequately explored by many scholars due to the occurrence of violence against Indigenous women. However, specific factors producing violence against trans people in local community groups and Indigenous women’s organizations have not been given sufficient consideration. In her work, Embodying Self-Determination: Beyond the Gender Binary, Sarah Hunt studies the elimination of trans and Two-Spirit people’ communities as the form of ongoing colonial violence. Therefore, this paper aims at discussing particular problems and realities experienced by indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people and the possible ways of overcoming this phenomenon.
The foundations of Native disappearance were laid since North America’s colonization when settlers strived to develop a prosperous society. At that period, colonial laws and efforts were directed at the imposition of gendered and racialized categories on aboriginals who were mostly trans people. For instance, the Indian Act, passed in 1876, determined “patrilineality as the criterion for determining Indian status,” resulting in limiting the Indians’ civil rights, including participation in band government and obtaining a band service. Other regulations also were adopted to assimilate Indians into the Canadian society and established gendered power relations among men and women. Moreover, Indian residential schools played a central role in imposing racialized gender ideologies in various native communities.
Nevertheless, despite resolute efforts to demolish the cultural practices, ceremonies, belief systems, and names, these native forms of traditions remain functioning in some communities. In particular, substantial knowledge about indigenous gender systems can be revealed in their languages, especially in oral histories. For example, the Navajo’s word “nadleehe” implies somebody involved in a continuous change process and can be associated with personality traits and occupational preferences, not only with sexual orientation.
In the current context, the primary factors contributing to indigenous women’s poor health status comprise low socio-economic status, inadequate housing quality, poor educational levels, limited employment opportunities, and poor access to health services. Frequent occurrences of spousal, sexual, and other violence are also significant determinants leading to gender inequalities in indigenous women’s health. Finally, the indigenous women’s marginalization in access to health care is also sufficiently documented. Racism, mistrust, or depreciation and common communication barriers make women deny particular health services putting their health at significant risk. It is worth noting that the most acute problem is the reluctance of federal and local governments to integrate aboriginals in the national health framework and policy.
Organizations such as the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) and the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) serve as the key organizations advocating for bettering the social factors of aboriginal women’s health. Their attempts are mainly directed at resolving the entrenched gender imbalances realized via the Indian Act. The National Association of Friendship Centres also made a notable contribution to the examination of social determinants, considering intersecting issues specific to urban regions.
To appropriately address this reality, the respective organizations, including NWAC and NAHO, should focus on conducting comprehensive local and national studies to promote public awareness about detrimental factors of indigenous women’s wellbeing. The investigations should aim at examining the health status of native people, the causes of violence, and practical solutions. Such research can also contribute to the design and implementation of policies and laws regarding the inclusion of community members in the healthcare system. In this regard, the governments and related agencies should develop policies that equate citizens, irrespective of their gender or race affiliations, in civilian rights, especially concerning healthcare, socio-economic, and educational opportunities.
References
Embodying self-determination: Beyond the gender binary. In, M. S Hunt. 2015