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She added, however, that transwomen who entered the festival were "disrespecting" its mission.

And I thought the mission might have been for womyn to gather to enjoy, oh, music. But I digress.

So we've seen dueling releases, resulting in things being exactly as they always were. Some transwomen want to attend, but the festival's organizers are unwilling to accept them as their own. It's pretty much the same state of things we've had for the last 15 years.
[...]
The debate, a 15-year-old argument that can trace its roots back into fights from the early 1970s, really needs to wrap up. We are all members of a minority, and we all face oppression.

No one should feel that their oppression is so bad that they can pick and choose whom they get to oppress. The same people who harm a "womyn born womyn" would likely be just as willing to cause problems for a transwoman.

I've been trying to think about this issue from the festival organizers' point of view for the past few weeks and I have simply been unable to figure out what difference it makes, to the point of wanting to exclude others, to be a "womyn" born female.  Maybe because I'm not one - perhaps the GG's on this site can enlighten me.  Either that or the only other conclusion I can make is that it's a fancy excuse for good old bigotry.

The point is that MtF's and GG's are all women subject to the same, or worse, second class treatment by our patriarchal culture.  So for the purposes of promoting political and cultural change, being born female doesn't seem to me to give any benefit over an MtF transsexual.  Yes, a genetic woman may have suffered longer under the influence of our culture but that's all in the past - excluding transsexuals does not change or mend that in any way that I can see!  Besides, show me a transsexual that hasn't suffered either, and many in worse ways!  And to believe that an MtF transsexual might actually have been part of the patriarchy, well, that shows a complete and utter ignorance of what being trans is all about.  So how does the exclusion of transsexuals actually benefit the people that attend the festival?  I notice that the "mission" of the festival is often mentioned but I haven't seen any definition of it yet, especially one that clarifies my confusion.

While the better part of me still wants to understand what this is all about the worst part of me keeps remembering Janice Raymond and her vitriol  against transsexuals.  Is this what it's really about?

helen

Hi Ladies,

I STILL want to know what they would do if a so called "GG Girl" that is F2M wanted to attend. According to their rules  this individual would be allowed....of course I have no idea why one would want to...other than to make one heck of a point...one that I would love to see made!

Peace,

Taylor

Taylor, you bring up a very good point there.  I had to point that out last year when I had trouble with a women's group.  I was allowed to attend on a very narrow and limited basis and as soon as I coloured outside of the lines, they had a fit.  I mentioned that under their rules, a FTM could not only attend, have full rights, and sit on their board but that it would lead to their group being overrun by a bunch of men, the very thing they were looking to avoid.  Needless to say, I have nothing to do with them now.

Nobody is born a woman; everyone is born a baby. So actually nobody is allowed there. Stinks that some people refuse to understand. Reminds me of the time when I was a kid, minding my business with no regard to what the adults were doing, and the women chased me out of the room saying "no male energy!!!1". I ended up in with the men thinking "I so do not belong here, I'm out of place."

QuoteThe same people who harm a "womyn born womyn" would likely be just as willing to cause problems for a transwoman.

If not more so.

Hi all,

Did you know that these groups also do not allow for their own "sons" to attend meetings, activities , outings etc. as the female children can?  they actually reject their own male children ( of any age). I personally for the life of me could not find a reason I would want to associate with a group of this caliber...but hey that is just me. Any group of men that rejected their daughters would not be on my list of guys to hang out with.

Peace,
Taylor

I agree Taylor. I wouldn't go there even before I knew I was trans because of their exclusionary policies.

Dennis

Maybe somebody should start up another women's music festival that is open to ALL women.  All the people that are pissed off at MWMF would go there.  I'm not talking about something like camp trans, but something that would be an alternative for everyone that wants to boycott MWMF or even people that attend MWMF would be welcome.  The point would be no discrimination against anyone who identifies as a woman.  I'd do it, but I have no motivation sine I really don't care about the people who run MWMF.  They can be in their own little world for all I care.  I just thought I'd throw the idea out there.

Melissa

Well I would rather have the company of some tg I know than some wimmin anyday!

And why not let everyone enjoy the music anyway?

Sky