So a white woman today wished me happy canada day, and when I did not respond positively, told me that while she's not much for canada day, she was thankful for her freedoms as a queer/trans person.
I told her "glad you all get freedoms at least"
And it really is 'you all' and not us.
My people's traditional systems of gender and social roles are not recognized. There's no legal recognition for people who are ayahkwêw, iskwêhikan, or înapîkasoht. No understanding of the roles of tastawiyiniwak.
Our traditional styles of relationships, the way that we do "marriage" has no legal protection. Legal marriage takes after european christian marriage. Why are Indigenous unions considered less valid? Why does the occupational government get a say in who I choose to share my life with?
Polyamory was not uncommon among my people. People regularly had multiple partners. You could have multiple spouses. These relationships nowadays have no recognition, no protection.
Children were raised communally. Nowadays most kids are raised without our language. More than 70% of kids in care in Alberta (where I live) are Indigenous. Instead of being raised by the community our kids get stolen off reserve and sent to white families.
People had the right to end relationships at any time. How many women get stuck in abusive marriages because of the high financial cost of divorce? How many Indigenous wives have been murdered by settler husbands before they could leave???
50% of sex trafficking victims in so called canada are Indigenous women and girls. Rates of rape and sexual violence are higher against our women and two spirit people than anyone else. We are just now starting to talk about how many Indigenous girls went from residential school to arranged marriages with white men.
But its great that settlers can have their queer marriages recognized. Happy canada day.
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