Former Cree pageant princess stands against controversial LGBT rule change

The first openly two-spirit Miss Eeyou Eenou Iskwaau (MEEI) in northern Quebec says they didn't feel welcome to attend a regional pageant to crown their replacement and worry how a controversy over an eligibility rule will make lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth in Eeyou Istchee feel.

Geraldine Shecapio, who goes by they/them pronouns, was crowned in 2021. At the time, their name was Geraldine Trapper. 

The regional Cree princess pageant to choose the next Miss Eeyou Eenou Iskwaau to replace Shecapio was held Nov. 17 and 18 in Eastmain.  

But a draft application package circulated by pageant organizers, the Cree Women of Eeyou Istchee Association (CWEIA), in the weeks leading up to the event, outlined eligibility criteria that contestants needed to identify as female. 

"I thought that requirement was very anti-trans and anti-LGBT. I didn't like it," said Shecapio, adding it wasn't there when they competed in 2021. 

The exact wording of the eligibility criteria outlined was: "You are and have always been a female," which Shecapio said came as a shock and made them feel unwelcome to attend the crowning of the next Miss Eeyou Eenou Iskwaau.

"I thought it would be wrong of me to stand up on that stage … Kind of like putting on this mask that I'm a female just so I can make other people comfortable, and that is not who I am," said Shecapio.

"It felt like an attack on who I am as a person," said Shecapio.

Shecapio said they had other challenges during their term as princess with some members of the CWEIA board of directors, but declined to discuss them with CBC. 

CBC also requested an interview with CWEIA, but a spokesperson didn't make themselves available. 

In a public statement, the organization stated the draft application package was mistakenly circulated. It isn't clear whether the final application package was amended to remove the line.

"It was never the intent of CWEIA to exclude two-spirited individuals from the MEEI pageant," wrote CWEIA president, Charlotte Ottereyes, in the statement. 

"We sincerely regret any negative thoughts or feelings this misunderstanding has resulted in," she added. 

Ottereyes said she would like to see LGBT sensitivity training happen within the CWEIA organization, but hasn't yet had the chance to discuss this with the board. 

Ottereyes also said in the statement that the draft application package mirrored eligibility requirements for the Miss Indian World (MIW) Pageant, which happens as part of the Gathering of Nations Pow Wow in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

Some of the MEEI princesses can participate in Miss Indian World Pageant.

The MIW eligibility requirements say contestants need to be a "natural-born female Indigenous woman", according to the 2024 MIW entry application form.

Shecapio said they were disappointed no one from CWEIA reached out to them directly, but instead shared the public statement on social media on the day of the crowning of their successor.

"I was hoping to hear back from them personally before the pageant and not through social media," said Shecapio.

Shecapio said they did tune into a recording of the Eastmain pageant and they were so impressed with the quality of the candidates. 

"There's so many inspiring youth out there … seeing all those ladies in the pageant, really, it made my heart warm," Shecapio said.

Shecapio says there are so many inspiring two-spirit and LGBT folks, they would love to see some of them compete at Miss Indian World and to have a bigger platform to use their voices. 

"Hopefully someday I get to see them up there and take part [in MIW] event too," said Shecapio.