b'after the session: All grantees should She went on to offer a specific example,attend this breakout, so we can improve many youths who identify as male or non-LGBTQ 2S outreach, services, and events binary may not want to wear ribbon skirtswithin our tribal communities. In during the ceremony, which restricts themconversations after the Conference, Lenny from participating in their tribes culturaland Misty elaborated on the issues practices. This raises a big issue becausediscussed and learning opportunities we are not allowing our ceremonies andoffered with anecdotal reflections on the practices to be inclusive to other tribalsession, its impact, and the need for members who associate themselves withincontinued conversation. There is always a the 2S/LGBTQ+ community this leads togreat need for people to be educated on the loss of language, culture and kinshipthe issues that affect our young LGBTQ among native communities.[and Two-Spirit] people, Lenny reflected,it plays a huge part in how they shape Lenny offered a similar perspective, as hethemselves. Stories offered by the three highlighted that while it is important toyouth leaders who bravely shared their recognize that many women feelstories of childhood trauma and personal empowered wearing ribbon skirts duringchallenges affirmed this statement. ceremonies, celebrations, and other events,this same cultural element is inherentlyBoth Lenny and Misty went on to exclusive of youth and adults who identifyelaborate on one issue addressedas Two-Spirit or lesbian, or who do not fitduring the session that is specifically the same gender molds. Lenny explained,illustrative of the detrimental impact that a lot of them wont go to these events ora lack of acceptance and awareness has ceremonies because theyre being forcedon LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirit youth. Misty to fit into something that they dont fitexplained, "The word \'tradition was into. He went on to say, beforebrought up and it was explained that the colonization, we were viewed as spiritualword itself does not allow a place to grow beings because of the role we played inin many indigenous cultures that are now the community. Before colonization, wewesternized and not inclusive to the never turned our back on our relatives. 2S/LGBTQ+ community itself. Many [youthAnd that\'s what we need to keep tellingfeel] that they are prohibited from peoplethe Creator has never denied usattending various cultural and ceremonial from healing, so why are weas people practices simply because of how they denying healing for individuals whoidentify. identify? 16'