FIRST NATIONS ISSUE
Thank you so much for your First Nations issue. I’m super-passionate about the recognition and celebration of physical appearance, body image, and sexuality in my nation (Nichił, a small, mixed culture nation in modern Alaska whose common name is Ninilchik) and how the shaming of it was instrumental in our almost being wiped off the face of the Earth.
It’s also super-important for gay men to feel empowered because, even where I’m from, where gay women or female-presenting people are accepted more because they adhere to more traditional familial roles, being a modern gay man feels counterintuitive to being a full citizen of your nation. Male sexuality is still frowned upon if not completely taboo in our communities, Indigenous or not.
It’s important for gay men to feel alive, purposeful and sexy but if you’re someone like me, you frequently feel torn between “gayness” and “nativeness”. It feels like you’re always letting one part of yourself down for the other. I’ve had to grapple with what feels like choosing between being a good member of my tribe and family, or pursuing love and happiness for myself outside my homeland.
Recently, a landmark I designed became the first Indigenous-created public artwork in my birthplace of Homer, Alaska. Even though the team and I are emphasizing its connection to modern Nichił and our ancestral Dena’ina and Kachemak cultures, I’m also insisting that people know it was made by a gay man first, beyond its Indigeneity. This is especially important because a local religious faction has started a campaign to ban LGBT literature from the Homer Public Library.
About that Mundine character; homosexuality is a characteristic of humanity and is cross-cultural. It is not disrespectful one bit to take issue with any Indigenous person in that regard. We all learn from each other. There is a popular myth that Indigenous people revere elders more than other cultures, but it’s not true. An elder has to have an educated compassion for humanity and earn that respect. It’s not something you get just for being old. Too many cultures have lost those unique systems of valour, which were disrupted by the processes of modern nations. I am hopeful for their future return. Warmly, chiqinik (Thank you in Nichił dialect of Dena’ina language). – Argent Kvasnikoff
I am a long-time subscriber to your magazine. I applaud you for the coverage you give to all aspects of gay life – the great articles, fashion spreads and timely topics. I see that you have begun to have ads with diverse models of every stripe. I await the day when your covers begin to express such diversity. Thanks for your consideration and may the odds be ever in your favour. – Bernard
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