Can only cispeople be womyn?

[Allamakee]

Can only cispeople be womyn?
The California Aggie
by Haley Davis
December 3, 2009

http://theaggie.org/article/2009/12/03/column-can-only-cispeople-be-womyn

Ah, yes. Exclusion: the foundation of feminism. Instead of taking the opportunity provided by the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival to encourage sisterhood, the "feminists" running the show instead built a whole new hierarchy by reducing other women down to their sexual organs. Because if anyone knows what it's like to be reduced to genitalia, it's feminists, amirite?

[cynthialee]

rediculous

[glendagladwitch]

I think it's weird that women who rebel against the existence of men only spaces (e.g., the workplace, voting booths, the oval office, etc.) think it's a good idea to implement women only spaces in the first place.  Then they went the extra mile and for a while and said women not born with a vagina are excluded from the women only spaces. 

My understanding is that the Michigan Womyn's festival stopped barring MTFs from attending a long time ago.  But the women only space thing is still a jarring irony in my view.

[Janet_Girl]

Just another example of bigotry and prejudices.


Janet

[Marie731]

Is it really bigotry and prejudice to want to include only people who've grown up as females, who've gone through the trials of living through that experience?

I may be female now (a least as "female" as I can be), but I don't claim to understand what it's like to grow up from a girl into a woman, nor would I demand inclusion in that "club" simply because of my "identity," rather than my experience.

[Janet_Girl]

No but to be excluded because of your 'identity' is.

[Windrider]

It's one of the reasons I hate "feminism". People see stuff like the Womyn's Music Festival and think that's what feminism is - excluding others and pushing that 'womyn' (I really hate that term) are somehow *better* than others. By pushing the idea that "womyn" are somehow better, I think "feminists" are actually hurting their cause more than helping it.

IMHO, feminism isn't about being *better*. Feminism is about doing anything men can, being paid accordingly, and having the same opportunities as men. In other words, equality. Women should be able to, and encouraged, to do whatever they want. There should be no "masculine" or "feminine" jobs or activities. There also shouldn't be any hair-splitting on who is a woman either. We're all different after all - that's what makes us strong.

WR