June is Pride month, a time to come together and celebrate our LGBTQIA+ family. As language shifts over time, you may see longer, more inclusive versions of this acronym (a helpful guide here). In fact, LGBTQIA2S+, while not as frequently used in mainstream media, is preferred by many. 2S is an abbreviation for Two Spirit, referring to an Indigenous person that identifies as having both a masculine and a feminine spirit. The term was coined by Albert McLeod in 1990, functioning as a translation of the Anishinaabemowin term niizh manidoowag, ‘two spirits’. In most tribes, they are considered neither men or women, but instead hold a third or fourth gender status. Most Indigenous communities have their own terms in their native languages to describe their gender non-conforming individuals. While there are notable differences within the Two Spirit role across North America, this umbrella term was originally used to describe the identity of people who benefitted from supernatural intervention. In myriad tribes, Two Spirit people occupied religious roles as healers, clairvoyants, and shamans.