Gay Native Americans say living in New York City gives them greater freedom to be themselves.
Kevin VanWanseele, 27, left the Barona Reservation in California because he didn't feel accepted there. But he said the community he has found in New York City has given him greater strength and pride.
"Now I’m totally comfortable there," he told The New York Times of his return trips to the reservation.
Harlan Pruden grew up on the Beaver Lake Reserve in Alberta. Although his family was supportive, he said other Natives discriminated against him.
But as a member of the NorthEast Two-Spirit Society, a small group in the city, he said he has been able to become an advocate for Native Americans. “We are trying to educate people on who we are and that we are here,” Pruden, 40, told the paper.
An estimated 33,000 American Indians and Alaska Natives live in New York City, according to 2005 Census figures.
Get the Story:Going Far From Home to Feel at Home (The New York Times 7/17)
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