Many Identities, One Spirit

Akwaeke Emezi

Elizabeth Wirija (Akwaeke Emezi)

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Nigerian writer Akweake Emezi identifies as trans, non-binary and also an Ogbanje. In Emezi’s native Igbo culture, an Ogbanje is a spirit that can be born into a human — a spirit with a plural identity. Emezi says that in Igbo culture, that can be considered a third gender. To learn more, Steve Paulson spoke with Emezi about their debut novel, "Freshwater."