This historical painting shows a celebration of gender diversity. The title is a slur.

Here's a language lesson on the term that replaced it.
By · Updated on October 7, 2019
George Catlin's painting, titled "Dance to the berdache."
Photo: George Catlin [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

This painting was drawn while artist George Catlin toured the Great Plains between 1861 and 1869, spending time within the Sac and Fox Nation.

Named “Dance to the Berdache,” the image depicts a ceremonial dance to celebrate a two-spirit person.

Two spirit is a modern umbrella term used by some indigenous North Americans, and refers to members of the community who fulfill a ceremonial gender variant role.

Note that the term “Berdache” within the name of the artwork is seen as a slur: it was a French term that was given to two spirit indigenous people, and refers specifically to younger partners in male homosexual relationships. It was used to negatively judge those it was applied to.

The term two spirit was coined to replace “berdache,” and was adopted in 1990.

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