tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4861963957673985204.post7525847268770642688..comments2023-06-04T07:13:45.932-04:00Comments on Issues of Humanity: MichFest, Safe Spaces, Transphobia?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17109902892532245070noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4861963957673985204.post-37485813535281467632013-09-08T09:17:12.909-04:002013-09-08T09:17:12.909-04:00I appreciate you leaving a comment of your opinion...I appreciate you leaving a comment of your opinion but I would love to have some more information on why you think WBW deserve to allowed into Michfest but not other women. <br /><br />As far as the creating their own space/festival goes I'm sure there are spaces where transwomen are allowed however that was still not the point of this article. I am asking WHY they shouldn't be allowed into this particular festival.<br /><br />You mention that they have their own unique issues but again, as I said above, we could continue breaking groups (even WBW) into more specific groups that have their own unique issues. So why is this the appropriate cutoff? Michfest and other such festivals are meant to bring people together around SHARED issues. Do you believe that WBW and transwomen do not have any shared issues? I would say they do and as such transwomen have as much a place as WBW at Michfest. <br /><br />I'd also like to address the 'we don't go where we aren't invited' bit: From many people's perspectives thats just not true. Many black feminists feel as though upper class white feminists have forced their ideals of feminism onto the community. Similarly many muslim and eastern feminists criticize western feminism in the same way. And of course Feminism is about barging into places where you weren't invited. Feminism played a major role in dismantling men only spaces. <br /><br />As far as your 'no means no' anecdote - that was poorly used. I do not believe that asking for people to consider a more inclusive policy is ANYTHING like rape.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17109902892532245070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4861963957673985204.post-81906506581262765402013-09-07T09:47:48.169-04:002013-09-07T09:47:48.169-04:00No transphobia at Michfest, just ONE WEEK of the y...No transphobia at Michfest, just ONE WEEK of the year where women born women gather. Here's an idea........make YOUR OWN SPACE/FESTIVAL where you can discuss YOUR OWN, UNIQUE issues, and WE won't barge in!!!! I don't go where I'm NOT invited. Afterall, 'no means no'.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4861963957673985204.post-7906517118990998652013-05-16T16:42:23.109-04:002013-05-16T16:42:23.109-04:00Why full stop?
I am not advocating allowing men ...Why full stop? <br /><br />I am not advocating allowing men into MichFest. We are talking about WOMEN albeit one's with different experiences than those who were lucky enough to be born in a body society deemed appropriate for their gender.<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17109902892532245070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4861963957673985204.post-1650921802371331982013-05-16T16:02:40.190-04:002013-05-16T16:02:40.190-04:00Women have the right the women only space for seve...Women have the right the women only space for seven days out of 365. Full stop. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4861963957673985204.post-22582436801141125712013-05-15T17:57:12.557-04:002013-05-15T17:57:12.557-04:00Firstly I want to acknowledge that sexual assault,...Firstly I want to acknowledge that sexual assault, rape, and the like are very serious issues faced by women and as such penises can be very disturbing for women who have experienced such things; I in no way mean to detract from that.<br /><br />I would ask some questions though:<br /><br />Is it ok to wrong a group of people because you have been wronged?<br />Do you really think it is impossible to distinguish between a pre-op trans woman and a male predator?<br />Would it not be better to find some way to allow trans women (pre and post op) into the festival AND minimize the risk of a male predator entering?<br /><br />To put everything as succinctly as possible. You seem to imply above that discriminating against trans people as a whole is a better solution than discriminating against some. You also seem to imply that because some women have been wronged in the past that it justifies this discriminatory practice. Furthermore, you don't recognize that there is sexual assault and violence against women by other women- why is this not a factor when it comes to michfest? Finally it seems that your problem isn't with transwomen (pre or post op) but with sexual predators. I am completely in agreement with you there but I have question why it is you aren't actively looking for ways to be inclusive to your trans sisters and still keep the land safe from predators.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17109902892532245070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4861963957673985204.post-40768554600415387032013-05-15T16:51:29.212-04:002013-05-15T16:51:29.212-04:00Simply put, I am completely comfortable allowing p...Simply put, I am completely comfortable allowing post op transwomen in to the festival. What I am not comfortable with, to put it bluntly, are any penises on the land. I am not discounting the experience of these women as women, simply because they were born the wrong gender. But it is absolutely impossible to keep predators POSING as transwomen off the land if preop transwomen are allowed to to attend. It isn't fair that this boils down to an economic discrimination. But it is also not fair to the many women who have been assault survivors to have to be subjected to the fear they have to face every other day of the year outside of the festival. I first attended Michfest in 1978 when I was 19. Over the years I have cherished it as a safe space to spend a week without having to be constantly on guard or look over my shoulder. I am not afraid of or worried about transwomen. I am afraid of those who would pretend to be transwomen in order to gain access to the festival.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com