Watch Two Spirits

Two Spirits is a compelling documentary from 2009 that explores the complex world of gender identity and the cultural traditions of Native Americans. The document features Fred Martinez, a Navajo boy who was born with a male body but identified as a woman from an early age. Fred was known as nadleehi, a revered third gender in the Navajo culture that is often described as having both masculine and feminine traits.

The movie opens with a scene of Fred's mother, Pauline Mitchell, standing at the site where her son was brutally murdered in 2001. This tragic event serves as the backdrop for the documentary, which seeks to understand Fred's life and the cultural conflicts that contributed to his untimely death. Through interviews with Fred's family, friends, and community members, the documentary paints a vivid picture of a young person who was beloved and misunderstood in equal measure.

One of the most remarkable things about Two Spirits is how it showcases the rich cultural heritage of Native Americans and their understanding of gender and sexuality. The film features interviews with several experts on Native American culture, including Will Roscoe, an anthropologist who has studied the role of gender in several Indian cultures. We learn that the Navajo culture, in particular, has a long tradition of accepting individuals who do not conform to traditional gender roles. The nadleehi, for example, were recognized as having a special kinship with the natural world and were often revered as medicine people or shamans.

However, as we also learn in the documentary, the arrival of European settlers in North America brought with it a wave of intolerance and persecution that threatened to eradicate these cultural traditions. Native Americans were forced to abandon many of their customs, and those who identified as LGBTQ+ were particularly vulnerable to discrimination and violence. This legacy of prejudice and trauma is explored in-depth in the documentary, which features interviews with historians and activists who have worked to raise awareness about the injustices inflicted upon Native American communities.

Beyond its historical and cultural significance, Two Spirits is also a deeply touching portrait of a young person who struggled to find acceptance in a world that often rejected them. Fred's story is told through a series of interviews with his family members and friends, who remember him as a kind, talented, and spirited young person. We learn that Fred loved to dance and sing, and that he had a deep desire to be accepted for who he was. However, he also faced many challenges, including bullying and harassment, both in school and in his community.

The documentary also highlights the role that gender identity played in Fred's life. We learn that he was often teased and ostracized for his feminine qualities, but he remained steadfast in his identification as a woman. The concept of gender fluidity is explored throughout the documentary, which features interviews with several individuals who identify as non-binary or trans. We learn that Fred's experience was not unique, and that many people struggle to find acceptance in a world that values conformity and rigid gender roles.

Overall, Two Spirits is a powerful and thought-provoking documentary that explores some of the most pressing issues of our time. It sheds light on the complex interplay between culture, gender, and identity, and it challenges us to rethink our assumptions about what it means to be human. Above all, the documentary is a tribute to the life of Fred Martinez, a young person whose courage and spirit continue to inspire us today.

Two Spirits is a 2018 documentary with a runtime of 51 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.6.