I heard today on a discussion board that I frequent that there was an event centered around the transphobic Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival called Camp Trans. For the uninitiated, the problem with the Michigan Womyn’s Festival is that it adopted a policy in the 70s that it currently holds to today known as ‘womyn-born-womyn only’. This policy is so hurtful to transwomen and should be challenged at every opportunity. Some detractors might say that the Michigan Womyn’s Festival has stopped being so transphobic or that we should butt out of what happened decades ago due to the fact that we are not ‘real womyn’, I would like to quote a press release that was sent from Lisa Vogel:
I would love for you and the other organizers of Camp Trans to find the place in your hearts and politics to support and honor space for womyn who have had the experience of being born and living their life as womyn. I ask that you respect that womon born womon is a valid and honorable gender identity. I also ask that you respect that womyn born womyn deeply need our space — as do all communities who create space together…I wish you well, I want healing, and I believe this is possible between our communities, but not at the expense of deeply needed space for womyn born womyn….If a transwoman purchased a ticket, it represents nothing more than that womon choosing to disrespect the stated intention of this Festival…As feminists, we call upon the transwomen’s community to help us maintain womyn only space, including spaces created by and for womyn-born womyn
When I see this, one phrase comes to mind quickly. WHAT THE FUCK?!?! We were womyn born womyn, albeit with a little complication in the process. And we are excluded just because of the fact that we were not lucky enough to be born in the correct bodies? That is completely ableist and, I believe, contrary to the feminist spirit. I am a proud feminist and I believe that the statement that you just made above is hurting our movement to the core. I am shocked and appalled that fellow feminist could possibly make such discriminatory and hurtful statements - even in the modern day. Statements that you would only expect from assholes like James Dobson of Focus on the Family or Pat Robinson. You are a detractor of the feminist movement and I think it is high time to call you out and ask you to start standing up for womyn’s rights - ALL womyn’s rights, or admit to your bigotry that not all womyn are womyn.
As a feminist, I call upon Lisa Vogel to stop being an ableist, transphobic bitch. What are you doing is cultivating the same discrimination that you fight against when it happens to people lucky enough to be born in the correct bodies. I cannot stress it enough that we should challenge the ableist, transphobic attitudes of the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival and while I cannot attend Camp Trans this year, expect to see me next year - protesting your discriminatory bullshit.
