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We envision the Navajo Nation as a safe, supportive, & inclusive home for our lesbian, gay bisexual, transgender & Two-Spirit community.
LEADERS FOR EQUALITY
- Michelle Sherman
If I want to keep inspiring, then why not do it at home? Just like my grandma Alice, she’s here inspiring people. As I look down at my forearms I have a tattoo of a diamond design my grandmother made famous waving Navajo rugs. On the other side of my arm is the scars reminding me every day that I am still here, that I have a purpose — all our Native LGBTQ+ youth are sacred beings.
LGBTQ Youth Leader & Founder | Celebrate Life Initiative
- Bry Cordell Smiley
Fighting for my rights & my identity has always come naturally to me. This is the reason why I want to help others find the courage to embrace their true selves & to be proud of being nádleehí.
LGBTQ Youth Leader | Haskell Indian Nations University
- DR. JENNIFER NEZ DENETDALE
Diné teachings tell us that both sexes are important to the survival & perpetuation of our people. At one time, our people also acknowledged a third or multiple genders in our society— who are often called the nádleehí. The imposition of modern democracy has led to our loss of memory about the inclusion of women & our LGBTQ relatives in nation-building.
Chairwoman | Navajo Human Rights Commission
- Sherrick Roanhorse
The Navajo people have a history of accepting LGBT individuals into traditional society. In the Navajo creation story, when men & women separated because of a domestic dispute, nádleeh served as caregivers to the men. Today, LGBT Navajos still serve similar functions in their families."
Former Chief of Staff | The Navajo Nation
Eugenia Charles-Newton
In Navajo, we talk about the importance of kinship because it involves love, compassion, acceptance & respect for all living beings. K’è as I understand is critical to preserving & maintaining our way of life. We have denied the true identities of our LGBTQ+ relatives. It is time we embrace & accept our family members for who they are & restore k’è in the hope that we all live in harmony.
Council Delegate
24th Navajo Nation Council
Charlaine Tso
As one of only three women represented on the Navajo Nation Council, you will have me as a champion for our LGBTQ+ community members. From our children to our grandparents, we are all connected. Our traditional teachings provide us guidance on how we approach difficult issues. LGBTQ+ equality means fairness & compassion for all our people, so they can be who they are - free from hatred & discrimination.
Council Delegate
24th Navajo Nation Council
Nathaniel Brown
Assaults are being perpetuated towards our LGBTQ community & it often goes unreported. Navajo leadership has not addressed this issue accordingly. These problems are real. It is now time that we treat our LGBTQ family members with respect & compassion. They are our relatives & Navajo law should reflect it.
Council Delegate
24th Navajo Nation Council
Who We Are
In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down key provisions to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) & the legality of Proposition 8, forever changing our country's position toward marriage equality. Today, same-sex couples are guaranteed the freedom to marry in 50 states. This, however, does not change tribal law & how sovereign nations recognize LGBTQ legal rights.
The Coalition for Diné Equality is guided by four visionary pillars: Sovereignty, Community, Family, & Hózhó. We believe in strengthening the sovereignty of our Nations while working with communities to create sustainable change. We will advocate for all families while also sustaining Hózhó in all its forms.
14 years ago, the Navajo Nation Council passed the unjust Diné Marriage Act; a codified law of discrimination that divided our people & created deep community disharmony. We are now working to repeal this once & for all.
Long before Stonewall, our Sovereign Nations revered & celebrated our gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer & two-spirit family members. Diné teachings clearly share this history & reaffirm the sacred roles many of us continue to hold today. We are resilient & together with Hózhó & compassion, a greater Navajo Nation will come to be.
Ahéheé for your support. Let's get to work.
- ALray Nelson
Founder & Lead Organizer
Gay Marriage's Final Frontier
In terms of marriage equality, 11 holdout Native American tribes are the people that progress Left Behind — and their lands are the final battlefields in a war that everyone thinks has already been won.
“It’s difficult to live in a place where our own government tells us to leave,” Alray Nelson says today. So far, he and his partner, Brennen Yonnie, are the only couple to publicly challenge the tribe’s marriage ban, although they have gradually built a small but vocal coalition of supporters both on & off the reservation. “We both grew up traditional,” Nelson adds. “We want to build a future and build a home here.”
NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO
