My feedback to the festival

by asleinbe on September 30, 2010

This is the feedback I sent in to the festival (forms need to be postmarked by Friday the 1st!). I know we’re not focusing on getting a policy change, but even though 99% of the work happening has to happen from us, from the women who attend and work at fest, I do think that the feedback forms are an appropriate place to push for the best case scenario, of official and non-official welcome and support.

amanda

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What improvements would you suggest? An official welcome to all women, including women who identify as trans. Creating a women-only space without all women is transphobic and just plain wrong.

I almost didn’t come to fest this year because not all women are welcome. I’m glad that I did come and participate in on-the-ground activism and ally work – wearing a Trans Women Belong Here shirt and engaging in dialogue with (especially with) older women – most people who I talked to were in support or didn’t care one way or the other. Many artists that I spoke with were angry about the lack of action from the office. The few brave women who were also out as being trans were met with so much love and support from many festival goers, but that didn’t drown out the voices of my sisters who are transphobic, afraid of change, and unwilling to educate themselves about the meaning of gender.

It hurts me to be in a space that was created out of radical politics, love for our sisters, and the wish for community – it hurts me to be in this space and to fight to make it more radical, more loving, and include more of my community. Many of the radical and political women of fest have become the static, complacent, loud minority that I (and many many others) have to push against.

I stopped telling people that I was going to fest this summer, because without exception, every single person who had heard of the festival (which was every single person under the age of 30), had chosen to boycott it because they see it as transphobic, outdated, and no longer relevant. We’re losing numbers? That’s why. Fest may have been this radical, political, progressive space when it was founded, but no longer, in the eyes of many people in women’s communities around the globe. I know the power that comes from returning to the land, year after year, of connecting with smart, talented women of every generation, lifestyle, location and politics, bur I’m afraid of seeing the festival die out, of not surviving into this next generation as it refuses to change. I want my political, activist, creative, and powerful sisters (queer, straight, trans, whoever) to come, but until you make a stand as a trans-inclusive space, that is not going to happen.

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Bevin of QueerFatFemme.com Reports from MWMF

by julie on August 25, 2010

Here’s some excellent coverage from the perspective of a festie that supports trans inclusion at MWMF! Features lots of nifty pictures, including a flyer “Welcoming Transsexual Women on the Land”!!!!

It was really great to see so much visible mobilization and have so many great conversations with people who are long-time (like 20+ years) attendees of the Festival.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation / queerfatfemme.com

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MichFest: Yes, I went

by leahperrotti on August 20, 2010

This was my second time attending Michigan and it would be an understatement to say that it was easy for me to make it there. It was difficult politically and emotionally, and because of the events that happened with Camp Trans it ended up being quite a draining year.

I choose to attend Michigan because I feel that it is a invaluable part of queer history. Hearing the stories of how older women came out and talking to them about the oppositions they face is important to me.

Since Michigan started 35 years ago, the culture around lesbianism, queerness, femaleness, feminism, and gender has changed dramatically. While I think the need for women-only space is still extremely necessary, I do see the need for change. I attend because I want to be an active part of the ways in which the festival’s culture evolves and moves forward. I am pro trans inclusion and am verbal about my beliefs at the festival.

My personal experience with this discussion has been overwhelmingly positive. In general, people are really open to trans inclusion. I attend the festival as a worker, and most of my interactions are spent with other workers. In the circle I hung out with, people are really respectful and understanding of the tensions surrounding transness, and are open to trans identified people having a presence.

In my opinion, the only way create change is for trans-women and their allies to attend the festival. I know it isn’t fair that we have to educate people who aren’t on the same page as us ,but I believe it is the only way for queer history to evolve peacefully. It is important to me to spend time with older lesbians and queer women, to hear their stories, learn from them, have a positive influence on their beliefs, widen their scope of understanding, and move forward with them. Even when their beliefs differ from mine, I still value their insights and experiences, and thank them for inviting me to be a part of it.

This year I wore a tank top that said “trans women belong here” and had many women come up to me and thank me. One woman told me that my shirt sparked a controversial conversation amongst her peers and left all of them feeling a lot more educated. I sincerely hope that next year more trans-women and allies will come so that the conversation can continue.

I was part of the security crew, which basically means I welcome festival go-ers and check wrist bands to make sure people have paid for a ticket. We don’t question anyone’s gender and if you buy a ticket you are welcomed in (unless it is obviously a bio-dude, and again, that process is complicated and respectful). The point is: security is welcoming and positive, and not aggressive or hostile.

When members of Camp Trans formed Camp Tranarchy and vandalized the festival and threatened festival goers I felt really angry. I am fully aware of the level of hostility that is felt towards the festival, and I genuinely felt scared to be a part of it. Trans-positivity is incredibly important in the world and at Michigan, however, I think it is inexcusable that I was made to feel unsafe at the only place I have ever felt completely at ease. Before going to Michigan this year I was called a bigot, I was made to feel that I would be ostracized from my community, and I was mocked. I do not apologize for attending a festival that celebrates and nurtures my femaleness. Being female in a sexist, homophobic world is still difficult and I demand the right to feel safe at the festival. Please, do not create a oppressive space for me, while I am trying to create a loving space for you.

I hope that activism can continue to happen within the festival. Camp Trans is important, but I know it would have more of an effect on the festival-goers if the incredibly smart, talented, and radical queers who attend Camp Trans put their energy into helping Michigan become the place we want it to by actually attending the festival. At its heart Michigan is a beautiful space. If queers came to see experience it with their own eyes and ears and contributed to it with their unique gender identities and politics, Michigan would evolve into a place we all feel comfortable being part of.

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Fund raising for next year…

by krista on August 18, 2010

Hey all. We collected $315 in the last two days of the festival this year for the purpose of having a scholarship fund for trans women who want to attend the festival next year. The idea came about from a meeting we had at the festival on Friday about ways we can welcome trans women to the festival. I just got a call from someone today wondering how they can get involved in fund raising. I opened a savings account to put the money into for now but I think we need to get more organized about this. I think we need a place to put the money – which could be that savings account or something else – and we need a system for getting it to people as well as getting the word out about it.  Ideas?…

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“There weren’t enough shirts”

by tom on August 16, 2010

Laura Sorensen.

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Trans Women at Michfest Belong Here

by Bevin on August 16, 2010

This lovely lady was handing out handmade patches. I found them a much more Femme-friendly alternative to the t-shirt. As someone who spends Fest changing costumes twice a day, I was able to pin this to the side of my leopard tote bag and bring it to me everywhere around the Festival and never worry about forgetting it on an outfit! I love it when Fashion and Activism become a win-win.

(Also I forget her name, but she is very sweet and lovely.)

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Supporters on stage

by tom on August 13, 2010

photo by Andrea Alseri

According to Mira: “this was an action at Michfest this year during which hundreds of women wearing shirts that read “trans women belong here” flooded the stage, and many many others stood in solidarity as well.”

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