The incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is 2 to 7 times greater among U.S. American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) and Canadian Aboriginal populations than in the general population, according to a recent paper by Drs. Julia Rempel and Julia Uhanova of the University of Manitoba. At U.S. Indian Health Service facilities, there was a four-fold increase in the number of hospitalizations due to acute HCV infection from 1995 to 2007. In their paper, Rempel and Uhanova summarize the extent and impact of HCV infection on Indigenous Peoples in North America, their risk factors for HCV infection, rates of chronic infection, disease progression, treatment outcomes, and comorbidities, such as HIV infection, diabetes, and alcohol use.
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November 2 - 3, 2012
Campus St. Jean, University of Alberta
Edmonton, Canada

The University of Alberta is excited to make history by hosting the first Two Spirit conference held in Alberta. To our knowledge this is also the first conference of its kind to be hosted by a major research university in Canada. Building on the success of the 2011 AMIQAAQ conference, our 2012 conference theme is: Born This Way: Two Spirit Voices. This ground-breaking conference is supported through the Office of the Provost Vice President (Academic). Working in conjunction with the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services (iSMSS), Edmonton’s Two Spirit Society, Exposure Committee, and many others we are able to provide an unprecedented opportunity to “break the silence” that has long surrounded sex, sexual and gender differences in our families, cultures, and communities.

At this conference participants will learn about Two Spirit individuals, cultures, and communities; interrogate hetero and gender normativity which often renders many sexual and gender minorities invisible and silent; share stories and experiences of community advocacy, struggle, healing, reconciliation, and knowledge building; and create new networks of support to transform our communities into spaces of hope and possibility for all to be welcomed and valued for their unique individual cultures and identities.

Registration is now available here.

The Aboriginal People’s Television Network (APTN), a Canadian TV station, did a two-part special on the Two-Spirit/Transgender community. These series features the powerful personal story of Vanida Plamondon and the history of Two-Spirit people.

The videos can be viewed at the following links:

aptn Investigates: Two Spirited PART 1

aptn Investigates: Two Spirited PART 2

Taking place from Aug 31st to Sept 4 at Liscomb Lodge, Nova Scotia, this conference is called Mawita’jijk Puoinaq. Wapanaki means “the People for the Dawn” and the traditional alliance includes members of the Mi’kmaq, Maliseet, Passaquoddy, Penscobot and Abenaki tribes but an Alliance also included other New England tribes.

By: ctvbc.ca
Date: Wednesday Mar. 23, 2011 1:30 PM PT

CTV’s First Story takes a snap shot of the two spirited world and speak with actor and playwright Waawaate Fobister about his new award-winning play called Agokwe.

Then we see what it takes to change genders and we meet two very different men living positively with HIV.