WASHINGTON –  Today, Two-Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQIA Celebration and Awareness Day, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF) released both a report and video amplifying the voices of Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ Indigenous people in Rapid City, South Dakota. Titled “United Resilience: Two-Spirit LGBTQ+ People in Rapid City, South Dakota,” the report aims to bring awareness to the unique lived experiences of this community as they fight for their well-being within and outside of their tribes. The accompanying video uplifts the voices of Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ Indigenous people in Rapid City as they share their stories of love, hardship and perseverance. Created with the support of Uniting Resilience, an organization dedicated to restoring and celebrating the integral role of Two-Spirit people within the Native community, the report and video touch on issues of marriage equality, increased rates of violence, housing instability and homelessness. The report also offers recommendations to improve the lives and well-being of Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ Indigenous people in South Dakota, informed by interviews and demographic research. 

To create the report and video, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation worked closely with numerous Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ Indigenous people in Rapid City, including Monique “Muffie” Mousseau and Felipa De Leon, founders of Uniting Resilience and community leaders fighting for equality for Native, Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ Indigenous people. In May 2019, Mousseau and De Leon worked to address their own tribe’s lack of laws, protections, or rights regarding same-sex marriages. They began petitioning for changes to their own reservation’s law, resulting in the enactment of Ordinance #19-24, recognizing marriage equality for the Oglala Lakota Sioux tribe. Mousseau and De Leon continued their legislative advocacy work and a couple of months later, an additional ordinance was enacted, amending the Hate Crime Law to include gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability. Both ordinances have been critical in providing much-needed legal protections to Two-Spirit LGBTQ+ people. 

“Being hyper aware of our behavior, our speech, our clothing, and our basic safety is a burden Native Two Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Asexual and Intersex people have to navigate every day,” said Monique “Muffie” Mousseau, co-founder of Uniting Resilience. “We helped create the Uniting Resilience Organization, formed from the experiences we had to endure and learn from as an out Two Spirit Native Couple. That is why we hope to help and educate others about our existence, our culture and our shared humanity. We strive to make sure the next generations don’t experience what we had to. We want them to do more than what we are doing and even better.”

“Two-Spirit people have long held sacred roles in Native communities, embodying balance, wisdom and cultural strength in the face of historical and modern trauma,” said Felipa De Leon-Mousseau, board member and consultant for Uniting Resilience. “These identities transcend colonial definitions, reflecting the deep diverse tradition of indigenous nations. Honoring Two-Spirit voices means reclaiming traditional knowledge, restoring respect and uplifting their place within our communities.”

The report cites data indicating higher rates of violence and homelessness for Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ Indigenous people, exacerbated by the intersection of multiple marginalized identities. For example, Natives, including Alaskan Natives, are already 2.5 times more likely to experience violent crimes and 2 times more likely to experience rape or sexual assault crimes when compared to all other races. That reality is worse for women, girls, and Two-Spirit individuals of whom 84.3%—more than four in every five people—report experiencing violence in their lifetime.

Other Key Findings:

• According to SafeHome’s 2024 LGBTQ+ State Safety Report Cards, South Dakota ranked last with the lowest LGBTQ+ safety grade among all states.
• Out of the 16 individuals interviewed for the report, 13 reported negative interactions with police, ranging from filing reports or complaints that never made it into the system, to having family members being shot many times at close range by uniformed police officers.
• Native people, along with other people of color, continue to be overrepresented among those people experiencing homelessness.
  • According to United Resilience, many of the Two-Spirit LGBTQ+ Natives the organization serves who are experiencing homelessness in Rapid City were disowned by their families and friends and kicked out of their homes because of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

“With deep roots establishing centuries of queer existence in this country, Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ Indigenous people are a foundational part of the rich history of our community. They deserve to be respected, to have their voices heard, and to thrive in their truth without sacrifice. Right now, Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ Indigenous people fear for their safety—worried about losing their homes or being victims of targeted violence. It is with resilience and perseverance that this community comes together, celebrates each other, and fights hard for a better world despite all the barriers in their way,” said Human Rights Campaign Foundation President Kelley Robinson. “We must work together to disrupt the discriminatory systems created by colonialism and create a future where we’re all free.”

“Since time immemorial people who today would be considered transgender have existed in the He Sapa (Black Hills) and throughout the Americas. We were seen as sacred and our transness a gift that allowed us to see things from multiple perspectives, be more closely connected between this world and the spirit world, and hold important roles and responsibilities in our communities,” said Jesse Guecha, board member and consultant for Uniting Resilience. “It is heartbreaking that in just the last few hundred years people have come here and tried to tell us otherwise and even try to outlaw our existence. But as we have done since time immemorial, we will help each other and persist in our existence, sacred responsibilities, and joy.”

The report concludes with recommendations for ways to improve the lives and well-being of Natives in South Dakota, informed by interviews and wider research. The report calls for increased investment in directed data collection to gain a better understanding of the issues at hand. Additionally, the report suggests expanding federal data collection in educational settings to form a fuller picture of the impact of discrimination on Two-Spirit LGBTQ+ youth in South Dakota and elsewhere. The report goes on to advise that expanding non-discrimination protections in South Dakota to include protections based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity can help ensure Two-Spirit LGBTQ+ Native people in South Dakota are fully legally protected in housing and other settings. Lastly, the report asks federal agencies to commit to better enforcement of existing civil rights laws that protect Two-Spirit LGBTQ+ people in South Dakota, and across the country, from discrimination based on their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. 
 

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign (HRCF), America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people. Through its programs, the HRC Foundation seeks to make transformational change in the everyday lives of LGBTQ+ people, shedding light on inequity and deepening the public’s understanding of LGBTQ+ issues, with a clear focus on advancing transgender and racial justice. Its work has transformed the landscape for more than 15 million workers, 11 million students, 1 million clients in the adoption and foster care system and so much more. The HRC Foundation provides direct consultation and technical assistance to institutions and communities, driving the advancement of inclusive policies and practices; it builds the capacity of future leaders and allies through fellowship and training programs; and, with the firm belief that we are stronger working together, it forges partnerships with advocates in the U.S. and around the globe to increase our impact and shape the future of our work.