Oklahoma Gay Natives - Program Information

Through a grant form the U.S. Conference of Mayors, AAIP offers interventions and activities to reduce the risk of HIV infection and the transmission of the virus to others. The program has a strong emphasis on raising self-esteem, pride in tribal identity and heritage and spirituality among the Gay Natives in Oklahoma City area.


Our mission is to bring together all Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiians who identify as Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender or Inter-sexed for the purpose of creating a supportive and active community presence.

Offer a social and support network to group members, friends, family, allies, and supporters.

Provide education on various cultural and health related topics.

Provide opportunities for sharing and learning about our Native cultures, histories, and traditions.

Promote healthy lifestyles and choices.

Promote a healthy, sex-positive, and harm reducing approach to living.

Foster community mobilization in an effort to impact our local community in a positive and beneficial way.

Foster an environment of unity and cooperation within the local community and its diverse population.

The Oklahoma Gay Natives actively participates in many of the local community level activities, such as:

• Oklahoma Gay Rodeo Association
• Annual Great Plains Rodeo
• Oklahoma City Annual GLBTI Pride
• Festival and Parade
• OKC AIDS Walk
• National HIV Testing Day
• Red Earth Festival
• Local PowWows and cultural events
  
  

The Oklahoma Gay Natives also holds Men’s and Women’s Retreats with activities, such as:

• Arts and Crafts
• Safer Sex educational workshops
• Native ceremonies and traditional meals
• Group discussions and guest speakers
  

Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian people have always possessed a strong traditional, social and spiritual history. Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual and Transgender people have always played a part in this history. Nonnatives helped initiate a systematic, destructive and institutionalized
homophobic agenda that contributed to the unpleasant and painful histories of Native Two Spirit peoples. These destructive influences are still present and continue to negatively impact our communities.

Two Spirit people of the past were a very integral part of the tribal society to which they were members. They played important roles in the daily lives of their people and were respected and revered as having a special connection to the divine by virtue of their having both male and female energies and gifts. The politics of basic survival drove the Two Spirit People into hiding or erased their presence all together.

Two Spirit people of today, in their determination to end this destructive cycle, are beginning to adopt a term of positive self-reference, which brings to light
both their native heritage and their personal identity. Two Spirit groups and societies are emerging all throughout Turtle Island (North America) and Hawaii.
Two Spirit people are returning to their homes and families to take their proper place in their communities in order to restore balance to their lives and the lives of those they love.