In recent years, you may have noticed that the familiar LGBTQ+ acronym has grown into a longer and more inclusive expression: 2SLGBTQIA+. Each letter reflects an identity, orientation, or lived experience that deserves recognition, dignity, and belonging. But for many, one question arises: why does the acronym now begin with “2S”?

Breaking Down the Acronym

The acronym represents a spectrum of sexualities, gender identities, and ways of being in the world:

• 2S – Two-Spirit
• L – Lesbian
• G – Gay
• B – Bisexual
• T – Transgender
• Q – Queer or Questioning
• I – Intersex
• A – Asexual or Aromantic (sometimes also Ally)
• + – An open invitation to all identities and expressions not explicitly listed, ensuring the acronym remains inclusive and evolving.

While each of these identities carries its own history and significance, the placement of “2S” at the beginning of the acronym carries both symbolic and cultural weight.

What Does Two-Spirit Mean?

Two-Spirit is a term used by some Indigenous peoples in North America to describe a person who embodies both masculine and feminine spirits, or who occupies a distinct, sacred role in their community’s understanding of gender and sexuality. It is not a synonym for LGBTQ+, transgender, or nonbinary—though it may intersect with those experiences. Instead, it is a cultural and spiritual identity rooted in Indigenous traditions.

Many Indigenous nations had long histories of recognizing, respecting, and honoring people whose gender roles or sexualities fell outside of colonial norms. These individuals often held roles as healers, mediators, artists, and knowledge keepers. The term “Two-Spirit” was adopted in 1990 at an Indigenous LGBTQ conference in Winnipeg, Canada, as a way of reclaiming those traditions while uniting across nations with a shared term that resists colonial erasure.

Why Lead With 2S?

Placing Two-Spirit first in the acronym is both a political and cultural decision:

• Honoring Indigenous Leadership: It acknowledges that queer and gender-diverse identities existed on this continent long before colonization and the modern LGBTQ+ movement. By leading with “2S,” we honor Indigenous traditions as foundational rather than peripheral.
• Decolonizing the Acronym: The shift resists centering only Western frameworks of gender and sexuality. It reminds us that inclusion must also mean decolonization—respecting identities suppressed by colonial violence.
• Visibility and Respect: Two-Spirit people have historically been erased from both mainstream queer discourse and broader society. Placing “2S” first ensures they are no longer an afterthought, but a leading voice.
• Symbolic Reordering: This reordering signals a commitment to holistic inclusion: that the queer community does not begin with colonial narratives, but with Indigenous wisdom.

The Ongoing Evolution of the Acronym

Acronyms are never static—they evolve as our language, understanding, and movements evolve. While some critique the length and complexity of 2SLGBTQIA+, its very expansiveness reflects a truth: human experience is expansive, and no one should be erased for convenience.

Importantly, the plus sign “+” ensures that identities not listed—such as pansexual, genderqueer, agender, demisexual, and more—are included in the circle. The acronym is not about drawing lines of exclusion, but about opening doors wide.

2S at the Front: More Than a Symbol

Leading with Two-Spirit is more than a symbolic gesture. It is a recognition that any movement for queer liberation in North America must also be a movement for Indigenous sovereignty, cultural survival, and decolonization.

To truly stand for equality, justice, and belonging, we must remember that this land carries stories far older than colonial borders, and those stories tell us that gender diversity, fluidity, and sacred queerness are not new—they are original.

“When we say 2SLGBTQIA+, we are saying: queer and trans liberation begins with honoring the original stewards of this land, their histories, and their identities.”

Conclusion

2SLGBTQIA+ is more than an acronym. It is a living reminder of the many ways people love, live, and resist. By leading with Two-Spirit, we anchor the movement in respect, history, and decolonization. We recognize that liberation is not complete until it is shared, and that honoring the most marginalized strengthens us all.

“We are the bridge between the masculine and the feminine, the past and the future, the seen and the unseen. We are Two-Spirit, and we are still here.”