gendered events and two spirit people

In the spring of 2019, I attended a Two Spirit Ceremony and Workshop. Now, those of you who have attended Indigenous events like pipe ceremonies will know that it is not uncommon for the women to be asked to wear long skirts or dresses at such events, while there is usually no particular requirement for the men. And non-binary people and Two Spirit people are not often mentioned.

In this particular case, Warren Winnipeg was the cultural lead. In advance of the event, he sent out this note:

All ceremony participants are to wear a wrap‐around, blanket or full length skirt to the
ankles. This can be a throw‐blanket that one can tie around their waist.

Pretty simple, huh? The men mostly had a blanket tied around their waist, which went down to their feet. Most women had skirts but those who don't like skirts used blankets or wraps. Non-binary and Two Spirit people could also pick whatever they prefer. Including everyone doesn't always have to take a lot of work...

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Jennifer Brockman, a Woodland Cree Metis with Scottish, British, and Italian ancestry, has written about their experience as a Two-Spirit participating in ceremonies. The article concludes with some tips on how to create ceremonial space for Two-Spirit people.
          Coming into the Circle – Welcoming Two-Spirit People in Ceremony