Muxe, Two-Spirits, and the myth of Indigenous transgender acceptance

Abstract

This theoretical essay critically examines and problematises the notion of Indigenous transgender acceptance among the muxe of Mexico and Native American Two-Spirits that is commonly represented in Western social science activist research. Relying on a close reading of works by social scientists within the field of Indigenous studies, I argue that an overemphasis on the historical acceptance of transgender people in Indigenous communities in the literature distracts from the contemporary discrimination that they face within their own communities. Furthermore, I contend that such a congratulatory stance towards certain Indigenous communities without gender binaries ignores how the acceptance of transgender women can be rooted in sexism.