An intimate view of how Two-Spirit men in Colorado and Oklahoma struggle to redefine themselves and their communities. Gilley gives detailed accounts of the ways in which these men modify gay and Native identity as a means of dealing with their alienation from tribal communities and families. With these compromises, he suggests, they construct an identity that challenges their alienation while at the same time situating themselves within contemporary notions of American Indian identity.
Contents: 1. Seeking self- and social acceptance -- 2. From gay to Indian -- 3. Adapting to homophobia among Indians -- 4. Aesthetics of an identity -- 5. Cultural compromise at work -- 6. Mending the hoop -- 7. Difference and social belonging in Indian country.