FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 21, 2006
CONTACT: Emilia Lombardi, Bryn Kelly
camp-trans dot o r g


Michigan Women's Music Festival ends policy of discrimination against Trans
women

After 15 years of controversy, supporters welcome trans women to 'the land'

HART, MICHIGAN - The Michigan Women's Music Festival began admitting openly
trans (transgender/transsexual) women last week, bringing success to a
longstanding struggle by trans activists both inside and outside the
festival.

"Seeing trans women inside the festival for the first time brought me to
tears," said Sue Ashman, who attends the festival every year. "It's
restored my faith in women's communities."

Ashman said "I have friends who have already committed to bringing
themselves and others for the first time next year."

Organizers of Camp Trans, the annual protest across the road from the
festival, say that every year at least one trans woman at Camp Trans walks
to the festival gate with a group of supporters, explains that she is trans,
and tries to buy a ticket. In past years, the festival box office has
produced a printed copy of the policy and refused.

"This time, the response was, 'cash or credit?'" said Jessica Snodgrass, a
Camp Trans organizer and festival attendee who spent the week reaching out
to supporters inside the fest. "They said the festival has no policy
barring any woman from attending."

The woman purchased her ticket on Wednesday and joined supporters inside the
festival. Another trans woman, Camp Trans organizer Emilia Lombardi, joined
on Friday to facilitate a scheduled workshop discussion on the
recently-retired policy.

"This kind of discussion has happened before inside the fest," said
Lombardi. "But for the first time in years, trans women were part of the
conversation. Over 50 women shared their thoughts about what the inclusion
of trans women means for the Festival and how we can move forward."

"We didn't expect to change anyone's minds in the workshop - but in the end
we didn't need to. The support we found was overwhelming."

Both trans women say they were moved by how friendly and supportive other
festival attendees were.

"We spent all day inside the festival, talking with other women about how
Michigan has grown to embrace the diversity of women's experience," Lombardi
said. "The attitudes of festival goers have definitely shifted since the
early 90's."

With their original mission accomplished, organizers say Camp Trans will
continue to be a place for trans people and allies to build community, share
ideas, and develop strategies for change. And they will keep working
together with festival workers and attendees to make sure trans women who
attend the fest next year have support and resources.

Camp Trans will partner with a group of supporters inside the fest next year
to establish an anti-transphobia area within the festival. Representatives
from Camp Trans and A group of festival workers and attendees, organizing
under the name "The Yellow Armbands," plan to educate people on trans issues
and provide support to trans and differently gendered women. Festival
attendees have worn yellow armbands for the past three years as a symbol of
pro-trans inclusion solidarity.

Both Camp Trans and supporters at the fest say they are excited to be
working together to welcome trans women and support a trans-inclusive,
women-only space.

"This is not about winning," said Snodgrass. "It's about making our
communities whole again. The policy divided people against each other who
could be fighting on the same side. We want to be part of the healing
process."

Camp Trans (camp-trans dot o r g) is an effort to end discrimination against trans
women within women's communities. For 14 years, Camp Trans has been a site
for trans people and allies to protest the policy, build community, and
develop strategies for change.

Don't buy your tickets yet. Still a lot of haters out there:

http://www.michfest.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/000885.html

Dennis

Groups have a right to associate with whomever they want unless the law of the land says otherwise.  After reading through some of the politics area, I would not want to go anyway.  I did not transition to trade one box that I was forced into for another, so something like that would not appeal to me unless I had a GF who would really want to go.  I always try to be supportive and would put up with whatever issues to make her happy. 

It does seem that a few of the detractors had bad experiences with T people in the past and, just like the right wing zealots in my neck of the woods, they do the whole guilt by association thing.  I can see that as a possibility.  I have talked with others who told me they are thankful that I am not like other trans persons.  When asked, they ran into one or maybe two that I think the majority of those here would not want to be identified with and would also have a hard time referring to them as one of the girls.

I know lesbians who are told they are not "true women" because they are butch or because they are in the S&M lifestyle, etc, etc.  Many people look for any reason to exclude those who they perceive as being different.

With all of that said, I am glad that CT is there to say their bit and hopefully they are attempting to educate others what it means to be transsexual or transgender.