We'wha, Zuni Lhamana, Meets President Cleveland
We'wha (c.1849–1896), a Zuni lhamana — a traditional gender role for those assigned male at birth who take on both male and female social and ceremonial roles — travelled to Washington, D.C. and met President Grover Cleveland, presenting a handcrafted gift. Washington society assumed We'wha was a cisgender woman. The visit demonstrated the existence of respected gender-diverse roles in Indigenous cultures long before Western LGBTQ+ movements.
Impact & Significance
We'wha's story highlights the rich history of gender diversity in Indigenous cultures and challenges the colonial narrative that gender non-conformity is a modern phenomenon.
Reference Record
- Date
- 24 June 1886
- Era
- 1800s
- Sources
- 2
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