Digital Transgender Archive

Interview with Nick Metcalf

Nick Metcalf is a 44-year-old assigned male at birth two-spirit person. They were born and raised in Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota which Metcalf describes as rural and isolating since they couldn’t find people like themselves. Their parents divorced when they were 14, and they have 3 biological siblings, 4 adopted, and 6 step-siblings. They were bullied in school and so hung out with more effeminate people or girls who protected Metcalf. Socialized predominately around women growing up, it was difficult to relate to men. They are a survivor of both domestic violence and sexual assault. For a long time, they considered transitioning and hormones but then decided against medical transition since presenting as male provides a sense of safety and because they are focused on taking care of their son. They were involved with drag as an adult and loved it but also struggled feeling safe in drag since they were treated differently by men. They struggle to fit into the gay men’s community and the trans community since both don’t capture their two spirit identity. They explain that native and indigenous communities have multiple genders based on their function in community, the roles performed, and what they do for community as opposed to being strictly based on body parts. They talk about queer white culture, colonization, acculturation in Minnesota, and the importance of holding space for people of color. They were President of the Gay Student Association their senior year of college. They moved to the Twin Cities in 1994 to be more involved with two spirit organizing, such as the American Indian Movement. They soon met Richard LaFortune and became a case manager for people living with HIV. Metcalf ran Minnesota Men of Color, which was open from 1997-2004. Metcalf worked at Indigenous People’s Task Force as a case manager predominately for native men living with HIV. They also worked with the Trans Health Coalition, Man to Man at the University of Minnesota, Midwest AIDS Training and Education Center, and the Department of Human Sexuality. They also presented a TED Talk at the University of Minnesota telling their story.