Last year, it was the music group Indigo Girls, who refused to come back, if changes weren't made. (They didn't.) This year it is Equality Michigan who launched a petition urging organizers of the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival to put an end to their 'Womyn Born Womyn' policy (which isn't one.)
Actually, Michfest is within a days drive from where I live, so ideally (if we wanted to) my partner Liz and I could go. If we did, since Liz is a "Womyn born Womyn" she is allowed in, not me.
I have mixed emotions. On one side I think these intransigent bigoted bitches can have their precious festival on the other- this bitch should have the freedom to go.
Then I wonder, why is a sector of the feminist community so against letting me at the least, play a bit in their segregated end of the girls sandbox? I'm a pretty harmless critter, and if I did bite-my shots are up to date. If I was them, I would wonder what I could bring to their table as a trans feminist?
By definition (mine) I would describe a trans feminist as a person who supports the basic rights of women to equal wages and now the increasingly strong battle to take away a women's right to choose what's right for her own body. It seems, however small, my support would be welcome?
I know by nature, we human critters love to form clubs, teams and or cliques. When we do, we are set up to exclude others which the Terf's ( Acronym for Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist) do. I'm also not ashamed to admit I can't follow much of their convoluted male privilege rant. I know part of what they say is true - but they don't ever seem to mention any perception of female privilege? Remember kids, a portion of "privilege is simply perception." Plus wasn't a person like me who was stuck behind enemy lines be a resource? I know...blah, blah, blah.
Like I said, the whole subject turns my noggin upside down. I will however continue to go down my own path of trans feminism which does by nature cross paths with radical feminism.
Like I said, I wouldn't go to Michfest anyhow but I sure would love to go to "TheDinah"!!!!
