Fred Matinez was a Navajo teenager who identified as a traditional nádleehi, one born as a male but whose gender is fluid and often functions in the role of a woman. Because of this entwining of male and female spirits, the term “two spirit” is often used as well by indigenous LGBTQ+ peoples.
On June 16, 2001 Fred Martinez was brutally murdered, just a quarter of a mile from his home, becoming one of the youngest victims of a hate crime in modern history.
This is his story.
And from all of us here at Murder Coaster, we wish everyone a Happy Pride Month.
MURDER COASTER PODCAST
Hosted by Christa Carmen and Matthew Brockmeyer
Website: www.murdercoasterpodcast.com
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Creepy Amusement Park theme by Brandon Fiechter and Derek Fiechter, used by permission and with many thanks.
FEATURING THE SONGS:
“Navajo Night” by Jason Shaw courtesy Free Music Archive Deed - Attribution 3.0 United States - Creative Commons
“A Hard Rain Is What The Land needs” and “Ballad Of Christ” by HoliznaCC0 courtesy of Free Music Archive.
“native_american_flute.wav” by ChromeLibrarian -- https://freesound.org/s/59484/ -- License: Sampling+
“Native American flute de-noised and de-breathed” by Petrucio -- https://freesound.org/s/276977/ -- License: Creative Commons 0
Jesse Walter Fewkes field recordings of the Passamaquoddy Indians. (1890) Native Americans on the Recording Registry | Registry Titles with Descriptions and Expanded Essays | Recording Registry | National Recording Preservation Board | Programs | Library of Congress
VA State Fair # 11 (Rodeo Announcer w Crowd Noise).wav by Smokey_B -- https://freesound.org/s/98226/ -- License: Attribution 3.0
REFERENCES:
TWO SPIRITS 2011 documentary directed by Lydia Nibley Two Spirits | Native American Gender Diversity | Independent Lens | PBS
ADVOCATE November 17, 2023 Murders of LGBTQ+ People Often Go Unsolved by Alex Cooper
NAVAJO PEOPLE March 12, 2011 Navajo creation story – The First World “Nihodilhil” (Black World) by Harold Carey Jr
THE DÎNÉ: ORIGIN MYTHS OF THE NAVAHO INDIANS by AILEEN O'BRYAN Origin Myths of the Navaho Indians: The Creation | Sacred Texts Archive
The Durango Herald, Friday, Sep 6, 2019 Bret Hauff Staff reporter
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