In the Arctic, queer identities and issues are rarely discussed in public, especially in Indigenous communities. Besides the common heteronormative discrimination in society, many Indigenous queer individuals are ostracized in their communities and as the result, relocate to more urban settings. The workshop examined these experiences and practices from both an academic and activist perspective. It presented Indigenous perspectives on queerness and interrogates assumptions of Indigenous heteronormativity. The workshop consisted of three sessions: an academic panel on queer Indigenous studies, an activist panel on queer Indigenous experiences and reflections and a concluding academic-activist roundtable discussing the future prospects and challenges of queering Indigeneity and the need for queer Indigenous studies in the Arctic.
Potential topics for next workshops include: Additional Aspects of Intersectionality; Creativity and Arts; Masculinity; and Mental Well-Being or Security.
Subscribe to the mailing list if you want to list your gender-related activities and institutions on the website of the IASSA WG Gender in the Arctic. More ideas for upcoming workshops, your willingness to conceptualize/co-host a workshop as well as contributions to a broader discussion are welcome.
Contacts: Gertrude Saxinger, J. Otto Habeck, Gunhild Hoogensen Gjørv