Sovereign Erotics: A Collection of Two-Spirit Literature

by Qwo-Li Driskill (Editor), Daniel Heath Justice (Editor), Deborah A. Miranda (Editor)

Two-Spirit people, identified by many different tribally specific names and standings within their communities, have been living, loving, and creating art since time immemorial. It wasn’t until the 1970s, however, that contemporary queer Native literature gained any public notice. Even now, only a handful of books address it specifically, most notably the 1988 collection Living the Spirit: A Gay American Indian Anthology. Since that book’s publication twenty-three years ago, there has not been another collection published that focuses explicitly on the writing and art of Indigenous Two-Spirit and Queer people.

This landmark collection strives to reflect the complexity of identities within Native Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Two-Spirit (GLBTQ2) communities. Gathering together the work of established writers and talented new voices, this anthology spans genres (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and essay) and themes (memory, history, sexuality, indigeneity, friendship, family, love, and loss) and represents a watershed moment in Native American and Indigenous literatures, Queer studies, and the intersections between the two.

Collaboratively, the pieces in Sovereign Erotics demonstrate not only the radical diversity among the voices of today’s Indigenous GLBTQ2 writers but also the beauty, strength, and resilience of Indigenous GLBTQ2 people in the twenty-first century.

Contributors:, Indira Allegra, Louise Esme Cruz, Paula Gunn Allen, Qwo-Li Driskill, Laura Furlan, Janice Gould, Carrie House, Daniel Heath Justice, Maurice Kenny, Michael Koby, M. Carmen Lane, Jaynie Lara, Chip Livingston, Luna Maia, Janet McAdams, Deborah Miranda, Daniel David Moses, D. M. O’Brien, Malea Powell, Cheryl Savageau, Kim Shuck, Sarah Tsigeyu Sharp, James Thomas Stevens, Dan Taulapapa McMullin, William Raymond Taylor, Joel Waters, and Craig Womack

Genres: Poetry, Queer, Indigenous, Short Stories, LGBT, Nonfiction, Anthologies

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2011

About the author

Qwo-Li Driskill is a Cherokee Two-Spirit/Queer writer, scholar, educator, activist, and performer also of African, Irish, Lenape, Lumbee, and Osage ascent. Hir artistic and scholarly work appears in numerous publications, and s/he performs and facilitates workshops at events across Turtle Island. Qwo-Li holds a PhD in Rhetoric & Writing from Michigan State University, and is currently an assistant professor in the Department of English at Texas A&M University.

Reviews

[CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

...Daniel Heath Justice’s contribution to this anthology is a truly amazing fantasy short story. When was the last time you read queer Native fantasy? What about a fantasy where a trans feminine person was the main character? Never, that’s when. Oh, and what a beginning this story has: “The fire past the delicate threshold of taut and tender flesh, cresting at his skin, licking down his arms, legs, and belly, the longed-for burn like a heady whirlwind through his senses, a dizzy mingling of pain and ecstasy.”

Sovereign Erotics ends on a definite high note, with a stunning, deceptively simple poem called “Clementines,” which is a kind of instruction manual for eating and mediation on these small fruits:

"Work the skin off in a ragged spiral,

separate flare from the pale sunrise within.

Gather up the long curl of rind,

turn it tight and snug, boy center peeking out

from swirled petals. Make a Clementine rose,

leave it like a love letter on the table.

Let your thumbs find the top dimple, apply pressure.

Not sudden, not hesitant, but cleanly.

Know the joy of secret compartments.

Raise the Clementine’s luminous body

on the tips of your fingers, moist, undressed:

with your strong teeth, neatly pluck the first

sacrificial half-moon from its sisters

with dreamy dedication:

tongue this plump flame till it bursts,

a lush firecracker in the dark."

It’s a beautiful finish to an anthology that is all around delightful and necessary and inspiring. Here’s to all the two-spirit writers, past, present, and future! I hope to read a lot more from many of the authors.

See my full review here: https://caseythecanadianlesbrarian.wo...

[George Ilsley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Looked interesting but was rather incoherent, even though it was purported to be organized into themed sections.

"Sovereign Erotics" as a title is either clickbait or simply meaningless. Also, at times I completely forgot that this was a "two-spirited" collection, because many selections had no identifiable queer content. I realize the trend in queer literature is that queer writers are supposedly expressing their queerness no matter what they are writing about. The point is debatable (writers risk becoming ghettoized by their own particular demographics; on the other hand, personal attributes such as queerness do have a profound influence on one's worldview).

Much of the content here concerns identity politics (not specifically queer) and that makes the awkward title even more meaningless. The editors seem to have selected mostly writers from academia, and I kept looking for something fresh and raw which never arrived. (I've been reading Joel Williams, a Native man in a US prison, so I was somehow expecting some "prison literature", but there is none to be found in this anthology. Since Natives are way over-represented in prison populations — at least in Canada — it seemed a reasonable expectation.)

The result felt abstract to me, rather than visceral. The hot air blew past, far overhead. And for an anthology with the word "erotics" in the title, this volume does not deliver.

[Ai Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really great collection with a really thoughtful introduction. I hadn't read much from most of these authors before, and reading them here definitely has made me want to read more--especially the work of Maurice Kenney and Qwo-Li Driskill, as well as Craig Womack's novel in full. There's just really beautiful, and sometimes like deeply sexy work in here, and I'm so grateful to have read all of it.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, diverse collection loosely organized around a few broad themes with an informative introduction. I thoroughly enjoyed Sovereign Erotics. Much of the collection is poetry -- I don't know much about poetry and don't feel like I necessarily have the vocabulary to review poetry very well, but I appreciated these poems. I've bookmarked several to revisit later. I most enjoyed the short fiction -- short stories and a novel excerpt -- and now have several books on my 'to read' list by authors whose work I've first encountered in this collection.

[Cole Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short review to mention that I loved this anthology. The wide range in genres, approaches, and literary voices were great, I also found the organization into broad categories helpful when reading through. I advise anyone studying queer studies and/or Indigenous studies to read this anthology. It is great having a more contemporary anthology written by two-spirit authors.

[Dasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've noticed a lot of people say that this book is not as queer as they wanted but I'm not sure what book they read. This book is clearly queer in many ways, especially because queer writing does not just mean writing about same-sex romance. However, there is the questionable and controversial identity of the main editor that is the most concerning part of this collection.

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very eye-opening collection about identities widely misunderstood and underrepresented in history. It wasnt until I took a Native American history class that I even first heard of two spirit, so I was glad to hear the stories and ideas from the source itself. Really powerful and thought provoking work. For those who haven’t questioned our learned history from a Tribcritical theory perspective, I think this would pair well with studies critical of colonialism.

[Jean Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poetic at times and riddling with fear and oppression at other times. I particularly enjoyed the outside perspective.

[Jess Saravia 🧚‍♀️✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful collection of poetry, stories, creation myths and interpersonal reflections and spirituality. Grateful to have received this as a gift and the blessings of words within these pages. A'ho!

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sovereign Erotics is a 2011 anthology of diverse Indigenous two-spirit writing that, to quote the introduction, “reflects the fact that this collection is not an ethnographic project; it is, instead, a space in which writers who identify as both ‘Native’ and ‘GLBTQ2’ can share their creative writing as literature, not social science.” From poetry to prose to nonfiction, this collection has something for every reader within its carefully compiled pages. My favorite pieces were generally the longer stories, especially The King of the Tie-snakes by Craig Womack, and Ander’s Awakening by Daniel Heath Justice which has me soo excited to pick up Justice’s Kynship Chronicles. A great introduction to many authors whose work I was not previously acquainted with, I'm thrilled to have all these new people to look up and read further.⁣

[S.B. (Beauty in Ruins) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderfully diverse, beautifully inclusive collection Sovereign Erotics: A Collection of Two-spirit Literature is! I was fortunate enough to have the chance to review an advance copy of the book, and it provided me with countless hours of both entertainment and thoughtful reflection. I had hoped to get a review posted before it hit stores, to help generate some advance buzz, but I just couldn't force myself to rush through it. There's such a wide range of authors, styles, and content here, with so many new ideas and histories, that I found myself rereading sections of it over and over again.

The book starts with a definition/discussion of the term two-spirit, which could encompass book all on its own. I won't get into semantics here, so I will just settle for the blanket explanation that this is a collection by, for, and about Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Two-Spirit members of the Native American community. There's a passage in the introduction that I realise only tells part of the story, but which I found particularly interesting:

For other Native people, terms like 'lesbian' and 'queer' are seen as part of dominant Euro-American constructions of sexuality that have little to do with the more complicated gender systems in many Native traditions.

What follows is, as I said, a collection of material as diverse in content and form as it is in terms of sexuality ad gender. Deborah Miranda's Coyote Takes a Trip is one of my favourite pieces, contrasting a young man's accidental and joyous discovery of his heritage on a Venice Beach bus ride with historical quotes from 18th century missionaries regarding their horrific discovery of that same heritage. Louis Emse Cruz's Birth Song for Muin, in Red is another one that struck me, particularly the repeated theme of a "young girl in boy skin."

As much as I'm drawn to the more straightforward narratives, pieces like William Raymond Taylor's Something Wants to Be Said, a poem that manages to evoke more emotion in a single page than most novels, and Qwo-Li Driskill's (Auto)biography of Mad, a back-of-the-book style subject index of his life, complete with page numbers and other references, absolutely demanded my full attention. At the same time, Dan Taulapapa McMull's wonderful poem, A Drag Queen Named Pipi, packs more wonder and beauty into its 5 syllable lines than should be possible.

Ander's Awakening, by Daniel Heath Justice, is the longest piece in the collection and one that I had to read twice - once for the story, and again for the language. Young Ander views sees himself in dreams of an all-consuming spiritual fire that will change everything. The moment when he is gifted with his new name, Denarra Syrene, is one of the most beautiful passages I have ever read:

Ander felt a hot tremor pulse through his body, a rush of recognition as true and certain as the view in the looking glass. "Yes," he whispered, "That's my name. That's who I am."

An absolutely fascinating read, regardless of your race, ethnicity, sexuality, or gender, this is a book I am simply overjoyed I had the opportunity to explore.

[Ruby Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of poetry by Two Spirit authors that I read for my Native American literature class. As with most poetry collections, I didn't love every single poem, but I really enjoyed the collection as a whole. I especially loved Qwo-Li Driskill's poems!

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a much-needed collection of Native American and First Nations people who are LGBTQ2, many of whom are trying to connect to the traditions of their Nations in an attempt to understand their Two-Spiritedness from a tribal perspective. Colonization so distorted most Nations ideas about gender and sexuality, reducing it to a Christian formula of man/woman - a categorization that mainstream society is realizing is not accurate.

I am enjoying work by Michele Kenny, Paula Gunn Allen, Craig Womack, Deborah Miranda, Janice Gould, Daniel Heath Justice (who's written the indigenous fantasy novel I've been waiting for,) and many newer voices. Noticeably absent is work by Beth Brant, who blazed the way back in the early 80's, but was unreachable when the collection was put together. Her work is discussed in the introduction, and I am remembering the power of the erotic, the life of stars, and we who are made of star-stuff.

This is currently a bed-side book, and a have-to-carry-it-in-my-bag-book. I will be going back to it many times. I've already taught several of the poems to a Two-Spirit class at Osher Life Long Learning at UMASS, Boston, to the Stonewall over-60 LGBT group, and it's been enthusiastically embraced by the class participants.

[Laura Sackton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really appreciated and enjoyed this anthology, although overall I liked the prose selections much more that the poetry. It was heavier on the poetry than I realized, and while I found some of the poems compelling, I wasn't as drawn to them. I loved the short stories and essays, and there were a few short prose pieces that I found especially powerful and evocative. I appreciated the diversity of the forms and subject matter. I also really appreciated that while this is a collection of two-spirit literature, not every piece was overtly queer. It was refreshing to read pieces from many Indigenous writers about queerness, yes, but also about family, home, childhood, friendship, etc etc. It's a nice reminder that queer writers have a lot to say about many subjects, and those writings can still be queer even if that's not the focus. Overall this is a book I'm glad I read, and there are several writers whose work I'll be looking up to read more of.

[Silas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish there was a bit more explicit queer work in here. It was written by queer natives, sure. But many of the works written didn't have much to do with gender or sexuality, which is what I was expecting. However, the ones who did write like that did a great job and made me proud to be who I am. I enjoyed many of the other pieces as well. It did show the diversity in writing and didn't limit the writers to only writing about being queer and 2s, which is also valuable. I would recommend, just keep in mind that having things written by queer 2s people is not the same as queer 2s themes in the writings for this book.

[Dan Downing · Rating 4 out of 5]

The University of Arizona Press was good enough to give us this outstanding collection which has lingered on my shelves since 2011. Good things sometimes take time.
Almost without style bounds, we have here poetry, fiction and essays coming from about every direction that gender makes possible. Much is revealed, much reaffirmed. Beauty mixes with brutality but never are we subjected to the crass, the unredeemed gesture, the thoughtless slur. Indeed, we are charged by many entries to ponder, to reflect, to question ourselves.
As the cover claims, this is a landmark collection. It is
Recommended.

[Janet Bond · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Okay, this book of poems? It’s like a journey through feelings and thoughts! Each poem feels like a little gem, shining with emotions. The words, oh man, they paint pictures and stir up feelings you didn't even know you had. Some are deep, some are light, but they all make you stop and think. It's not just about fancy words; it's about capturing life's moments in a way that hits you right in the heart. If you're into exploring emotions and experiences through beautiful words, this book of poetry is a treasure chest waiting to be discovered."

[R. Will ❦]

I appreciated the variety of subject matter but do wish there was a touch more stylistic diversity, also It’s hard not to overlook the sussiness of the main curator, especially given how it affects the legitimacy of the works published within their anthology, and given the deeply personal and sensitive subject matter of the poetry
There are some very strong poets in here notwithstanding. I just think the sussiness put me on guard and prevented me from enjoying this or viewing it as a completely safe space iykwim

[Emma Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are some really stunning stories and poems in here, and I read this book so much faster than I thought I would. There is so much nuance and complexity in each entry and I know I will becoming back to this book later in life because there is still so much to uncover and learn. Such an important book!

[Willow · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of literature that shifted my on queer literature. Craig Womack, Qwo Li Driskill, Deborah Miranda, Daniel Heath Justice, Cheryl Savageau, Michael Koby, and Maurice Kenny were all authors new to me, and ones I have added to my list of writers to explore. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a book that will touch you and leave you changed.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the few collections of Two Spirit poetry and short fiction available at the present time. This particular book is geared toward a more academic and literary audience and would be a great resource for college classes. I really loved the poetry and found this a very worthwhile read.

[Samantha Buchheit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this collection of poetry and prose. For class, we were required to come up with questions for each section, which I felt made me think deeper about the form and content. I'm glad to have learned about new cultures and enjoyed a wide variety of literature.

[theperksofbeingmarissa ;) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great collection of queer Two - Spirit literature. Ander's Awakening is my favorite short story from this book.

Part Four : Wildflowers is what I was expecting the ENTIRE book to be, so I was disappointed with the first three parts.

[steelbluejay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome addition to any short story lover or those wishing to expand their reading of indigenous American writers. Poems, chapters, short stories—this has it all, through the many facets of two spirit people.

[Danni Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, deeply moving, expansive collection of writings. Each writer's voice is distinct and tremendous in their own way. I highly recommend it.

[Sam Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a huge poetry gal BUT loved the prose in this one!

[Lideuhh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow-what a great book! I got lost in the pages and found myself reading 100 pages in a day. This is a must read for people who want to know more about two-spirits and the LGBTQ2 community.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful book. I'm glad I had it during the shutdown of libraries, so that I could savor each story and poem.

[Janice]

Poignant.

[Rachel]

Never know when to mark anthologies as read but I really enjoyed the writing in this book and will always be coming back to read something again or new