We took their land, decimated their culture, gave them communicable diseases and finally pushed them into reservations. But it appears some Native Americans still haven’t gotten the memo on what it means to be a real Uh-merican.
Yesterday, the Suquamish Tribal Council in Washington state approved same-sex marriages for tribe members.
The new law allows the tribal court to issue a marriage license to two unmarried people, “regardless of their sex,” if they at least 18 years old and at least one of them is an enrolled member of the Suquamish Tribe. In 2009 the Coquille Indian Tribe in Coos Bay, Oregon, became what many believed to be the first Indian tribe to marry a gay couple, two women from Edmonds, Wash.
Heather Purser, who petitioned the Suquamish council to endorse marriage equality, said she was surprised she didn’t face greater opposition. “I was expecting a major fight. I didn’t think anyone would support me,” she told the Kitsap Sun. “Really it was the Suquamish people who approved this.”
Via Joe.My.God
How about we take this to the next level?
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yrmencyn
Really, subtitle? Stereotypes a-gogo! But hurray for the Suquamish.
Steve
I think we stereotype native peoples of all kinds to be really strict people but I think it’s also important to realize that, even though it doesn’t apply to all cultures, several native cultures viewed same-sex relationships as normal, some of them even saw them as divine. It wasn’t until the Spanish Conquest that homosexuality started to disappear from idigenous people.
Still, congratulations are in order for the Suquamish tribe!
samthor
“But it appears some Native Americans still haven’t gotten the memo on what it means to be a real Uh-merican.”
what exactly are you implying?
“white man still the devil?”
Well, let’s see. A vast many of North American Caucasians are still breaking treaties, stealing the land, institutionalizing tribal children, stealing sacred ceremonies and objects, killing the men and raping their women… so i dunno… what do you think?
don’t believe me? try indianz dot com
TanyaHyde
“White man still the devil?”
Really, did you have to go there?
Take something positive and insert snark – the Queerty modus operandi.
Sheesh…
MoreInStore
Oh geez. You really couldn’t write the post without adding in negative Native American stereotypes?
Tom
Whoa, as a gay Native American, I call party foul Queerty. As a minority blog (in a sense), I expect more sensitivity. If a Native American website made a similar joke, the gays would be up in arms over it.
Matt Smith
Like, can we get gay married in their casino?
Honk
@ Everyone It’s called satire.
[email protected]
@Steve:
Well, in your terms, “homosexuality” didn’t “disappear” after the “Spanish Conquest.” What did change was being able to directly express it. Christian churches and their members who were made Superintendents of reservations worked very hard to force Native people believe such love was sinful.
The other complication not touched on by the article–Many Native communities traditionally have a concept of more than two genders, which makes the whole concept of homosexuality a slippery slope. A male not be erotically involved with another male, but with someone who is neither a man nor a woman. By definition, that makes the relationship heterosexual.
Christine Boyd
Accodsing to some historic accounts, before the Westerners came in Asia, our tribes had no qualms whether they’re marrying couples of the same sex or not. These colonizers were the ones who set rules and acted as if they’re the kings and queens of the world. (No offense meant).
todd
As a person with some Native American blood in his family (South Carolina Cherokee), I understand the belief by most Native American peoples that people’s attributes are placed there by nature. Nature provides for all needs and the spirits of family members past help to ensure a prosperous future and family health. Family health includes every member of the family. Everyone has their place and is important. To shun any member of the tribe fractures that family unity which affects tribe unity.
J. Bocca
Most of these “tribes” are just white people who have a great great great grandfather who was 1/8 Indian.
o
Purser shouldn’t be so surprised. Abrahamic religions are the only religions on Earth that are dead-set to keep gay people down.
bluechip244
I agree with the confusion about the snarkinesss. Do you gays at Queerty have to make themselves feel better by putting down another minority. You should be ashamed. As a Native, African, Italian, English American, your bigotry is easy to spot!