Race faker's two-year transformation from a white woman to an Indigenous two ... trends now
Photos obtained by DailyMail.com show just how Kay LeClaire was able to transform herself over the course of just two years from a white college student to an Indigenous two-spirit — fooling even some in the Native American community itself.
LeClaire identified themselves on Facebook as a 'white woman' in July 2017 as they spoke of they nuptials with Adam Pagenkopf the following summer.
But by 2019, they publicly identified as a Native American 'two-spirit,' which is a term many Indigenous people use to describe a non-binary gender identity.
LeClaire even went on to co-found a queer Indigenous artists' collective in Wisconsin, and started buying Native American art from Etsy which they would passing off as their own and sell to unsuspecting buyers.
Some in the Native community have now said they had their suspicions about LeClaire, who went from a light-haired brunette to a tan woman with dark hair over the course of just a few years.
LeClaire was ultimately forced to step down from her community positions last month after it came to light that they were actually a 'pretendian' — a term Natives use for people who pretend to have Indigenous lineage.
It is unclear whether they will face charges for their false claims, as profiting off a false Native American identity is a federal crime.
Kay LeClaire, who also went by the name Nibiiwakamigkwe, and has claimed to be Native American is being accused of being a white woman by hobbyist genealogist AdvancedSmite. They are pictured in their high school graduation picture in 2012
By 2019, they publicly identified as 'two-spirit,' which is a term many Indigenous people use to describe a non-binary gender identity
AdvancedSmite, a hobbyist genealogist, has laid out how Le Claire has claimed to have Métis, Oneida, Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, Cuban and Jewish heritage.
But using online records and resources, AdvancedSmite discovered LeClaire's true lineage is German, Swedish and French Canadian.
The anonymous genealogist told Madison365 that they first became aware of LeClaire through a Facebook ad for an upcoming talk on Indigenous feminism.
It identified LeClaire under her 'Native name' Nibiiwakamigkwe, which AdvancedSmite said they found unusual because the given Ojibwe name is 'typically something that would just be used in ceremony or with other people who are Ojibwe or a part of your community,' they said.
AdvancedSmite, who is also of Indigenous then conducted some research and found that while LeClaire is 'a common Native American last name,' there were social media posts in which they identified as Anishinaabe.
The genealologist also discovered that LeClaire had previously claimed to be Cuban in bios, interviews and elsewhere through August 31, 2020.
AdvancedSmite then reportedly used online records and resources to find LeClaire's true lineage – German, Swedish and French Canadian, Madison365 reported, and reported their findings on the New Age Fraud Forum.
It was also claimed on the forum that LeClaire graduated from Hamilton High School in Sussex, Wisconsin, where they were known as Katie Le Claire, in 2012.
They apparently attended the University of Wisconsin and in the summer of 2018 married fellow Hamilton alum Adam Pagenkopf, a research specialist at UW, it was reported.
LeClaire graduated from Hamilton High School in Sussex, Wisconsin, where they were known as Katie Le Claire, in 2012. At the high school, they met Adam Pagenkopf
LeClaire is pictured at her wedding to Pagenkopf in 2018. She is now accused of being a 'pretendian' — a term Natives use for people who pretend to have Indigenous lineage
LeClaire is pictured in the back right with members of her husband's family in a recent photo
In a 2017 Facebook post, LeClaire publicly identified themselves as a white woman
AdvancedSmite claimed on the forum that LeClaire worked their way into many institutions and exhibitions and made money by claiming Indigenous heritage.
LeClaire earned several artists' stipends, a paid residency at the University of Wisconsin, a place on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Task Force and many speaking gigs and art exhibitions, it was reported.
It was also revealed that they bought Native American artwork online, which they would then pawn off to unsuspecting buyers.
As Laura Le Fay posted on Facebook on December 30: 'I bought a coyote bag that KLC claimed they spent four hours creating in January of 2021.
'I now know, and have confirmed with the actual artisan, this bag was bought from an Etsy shop and resold.'
And in 2019, LeClaire founded the Giige Collective, a group of nonbinary Native artisans in Teejop who would provide customers with traditional Native tattoos.
A poster she made under her fake Native American name was even selected to appear on the Madison Metro Transit.
LeClaire co-founded the Griige Collective, , a group of nonbinary Native artisans in Teejop who would provide customers with traditional Native tattoos, in 2019
A poster she made under her fake Native American name was even selected to appear on the Madison Metro Transit
Several people in the Native American community have since expressed their shock that LeClaire lied about her heritage.
Kanyʌhtakelu Becky Webster, an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota, for example, posted on Facebook on Saturday: 'I've sat with this Kay LeClaire situation a bit, going through all the emotions, hurt, anger, disbelief.
'I welcomed them into my home, brought them to ceremonies and bartered my artwork for their fakes,' she wrote, revealing: 'Others warned me, but I was hesitant to believe someone could weave such an elaborate web of lies.
'They were so kind and eager to help and share. They were a ray of sunshine,' Webster said of LeClaire. 'They embodied everything you would want in a friend.'
LeClaire had previously disparaged Elizabeth Hoover, who came under fire for falsely claiming Native American ancestry
She continued: 'Kay stayed with us right after Liz Hoover released her statement admitting she had no verifiable Indigenous ancestors.
'Kay and I had deep discussions about it. We lamented how much we were hurt by Liz's actions and her inactions for so long. We were astonished anyone would base an entire identity around unfounded family lore.
'I thought Kay and I were on the same page with our stance on pretendians and how dangerous they are to our communities. I thought Kay was my friend.'
Speaking to DailyMail.com, Webster said she met LeClaire through the Indigenous food sovereignty movement and 'we became friends.'
She said LeClaire identified herself as New York Oneida and Ojibwe.
When asked whether she ever doubted those claims, Webster said: 'There were signs, but I ignored them.
'Then a couple mutual friends reached out and shared their doubts. During my last visit with Kay, we talked extensively about the Liz Hoover incident (another pretendian).
'Kay doubled down and spoke about how terrible Liz's actions were. It wasn't until the genealogy report was released before I fully accepted Kay's lies.'
'I went through all the emotions, denial at first (I even reached out to Kay with the allegations), then shocked that our doubts were right, sad, angry, betrayed, confused [and] hurt,' she said.
'Most of all, I am mourning a person I thought was my friend, a person that never really existed.'
Webster added that she now hopes LeClaire 'gets the help she needs' and 'apologizes for the damage she caused and admits to what she has done.
'She has already started giving back to the people they came from,' Webster said.
Kanyʌhtakelu Becky Webster posted on Facebook Saturday how she was in disbelief when she saw the news about LeClaire
Namāēwkūkiw Rachel Fernandez also commented on Webster's post: 'You're not alone. I feel this too.'
She said she had connected with LeClaire on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Committee.
But others
