April 4th, 2013

To our community in regards to Michigan Womyn's Festival

http://www.indigogirls.com/correspondence_2006.html

Our hope for all the past years has been that the Festival would move towards an intention of Trans-Inclusion. We have continued to search our selves and look at both sides of this issue and truly respect the different points of view, but have always come back to our core belief that Trans Womyn should be included in the Festival, and their womynhood should be honored by the intentions of MWF.

...

Although we are playing the festival, we honor the current protest against MWF and hope that it will help move the community towards change. Any money that we make playing the Festival will go towards Trans Activism. We will make a statement from stage at the Festival in support of Trans Inclusion. We have made it clear that this will be our last time at the Festival until MWF shows visible and concrete signs of changing their intention.

Sincerely,

Amy and Emily
Indigo Girls

Wow! That is the most profound and powerful thing I have ever read with respect to Michigan Womyn's Music Festival.  It would be a wonderful thing it the festival's organizers took heed.

That is so awesome of The Indigo Girls. I just gained huge amounts of respect towards them. Lets hope that the organizers follow their lead.

That is a way cool thing to do, esp given the historical animosity from hard-core "womyn"'s groups against trans-women/womyn.

Who are the Indigo Girls?

Quote from: Beth Andrea on April 07, 2013, 09:11:28 AM
Who are the Indigo Girls?

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigo_girls:

QuoteThe Indigo Girls are an American folk rock music duo consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. Both Saliers and Ray self-identify as lesbian and are active in political and environmental causes.

OMG...I'm going to have to look into their music now!

Quote from: Beth Andrea on April 07, 2013, 09:11:28 AM
Who are the Indigo Girls?

Here's one of their great songs.

It's a shame they didn't take a stronger stand and not do this year unless. But it's still a positive message.

Heated debate follows Michigan Fest boycott petition
From petition and press statements
2013-04-12

http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Heated-debate-follows-Michigan-Fest-boycott-petition/42349.html?fb_comment_id=fbc_355294104575972_1888208_355736721198377

What follows are communications related to the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival, held every August in Michigan, and its official ban on trans women entering the festival. The policy is more of a "don't ask, don't tell" ban, as trans women have been at the festival, but the official policy has caused deep divisions in the community.

Now, a call to boycott performers who are scheduled to be at this year's festival has sparked responses from some of those performers, as well as a response from the Festival's founder, Lisa Vogel.

What follows is the original boycott call, from www.change.org/petitions/indigo-girls-and-other-michfest-2013-performers-boycott-mwmf-until-the-organizers-fully-include-trans-women and three responses.