-------------------------------------------------------- Ending the Boycott and Strengthening Michfest Some Steps to Peace and Reconciliation An Open Letter to Lisa Vogel, Kate Kendell, and Emily Dievendorf by Margo Schulter -------------------------------------------------------- On August 18, Michfest released a landmark statement, "We Have a Few Demands of Our Own," which represents a giant step of progress toward the truth and reconciliation that can end this boycott and provide a firmer foundation for Fest to continue and grow. It is important to recognize both that the boycott addresses vital issues of inclusion for trans womyn as welcome and valued guests in theory and practice; and that the August 18 statement, by clarifying a Fest policy of welcome and hospitality, provides an excellent basis for implementing inclusion at the 40th anniversary Michfest this next August. In sharing the ideas that follow, I write as a Lesbian feminist and transsexual who has experienced both many instances of inclusion; and a few notable ones of exclusion during the years 1973-1975 when this conflict was taking shape. Coming from the same Second Wave feminist tradition that gave birth to Fest itself, my goal here is to suggest some steps that will resolve this conflict of a full four decades while preserving and strengthening the unique culture of the Land. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Respect how the August 18 statement affirms intention and inclusion ---------------------------------------------------------------------- As the August 18 statement explains, Fest is, as always, an autonomous space belonging to a community of "Womyn-Born Womyn" (WBW), or Womyn Born Female (WBF), who are the focus of the celebration. More specifically, Festival centers on the politics and culture of Lesbian feminism, in a special sovereign realm or city of womyn which is created and recreated for one week each year. As the statement also explains and affirms, both trans womyn and trans men are an accepted part of this celebration: "The truth is, trans women and trans men attend the Festival, blog their experiences, and work on crew." A yet more important and definitive statement in seeking a just solution first beautifully summarizes the essence of Fest: that "for a week, we collectively experience a Lesbian-centered world; we experience what it feels like to be in a community defined by Lesbian culture." Then there follow these words: "There are trans womyn and trans men who attend and work at the Festival who participate in the Michfest community in this same spirit -- as supporters of, rather than detractors from, our female-focused culture." The August 18 statement thus at once affirms the traditional WBF-focused and Lesbian-centered nature of Fest, and affirms that trans womyn (as well as trans men) attend "as supporters of, rather than detractors from, our female-focused culture." A reasonable womon would read these words fairly to imply that trans womyn and trans men who come with the right intention are fully welcome and valued guests on the Land. One barrier or stumblingblock to understanding for some supporters of the boycott and some members of the Michfest community alike is the fact that the intention of Fest itself mentions only "womyn-born womyn," which often has been taken to mean a WBF-only event. However, for example, the Michfest "Letter to the Community" of May 9, 2014 notes that some trans womyn who attend "feel the intention includes them." As I see it, the August 18 statement clarifies that the intention defines the WBF-focus of the event and its purpose of creating a "Lesbian-centered world," with trans womyn and trans men welcome as valued guests of the WBF owners of the space. Here is my own interpretation of the intention as it touches my heart and conscience: "The intention of Festival is to celebrate, for one week each year, the experiences of Womyn Born Female (WBF) who were assigned female at birth, raised as girls, and who continue to live and identify as womyn. Additionally, Fest welcomes as guests of our Lesbian-centered space those trans womyn and trans men who are ready seriously to examine and check their past, residual, or present male privilege so that they may come to the Land as supporters of, rather than detractors from, our female-focused culture." Much of my language here is directly borrowed from or closely paraphrases that of the August 18 statement, but one element is added. Trans womyn and trans men are asked to acknowledge the reality that either male socialization or present male identification creates a somewhat different reality than that experienced by womyn who have been deemed female for their entire lives. Feminist group process and radical listening skills provide ways of addressing various forms of privilege; but this understanding of the intention of Fest reminds us that our privilege must first be recognized and acknowledged. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Take affirmative action to make clear that trans womyn are welcome --------------------------------------------------------------------- Given that a commonsense reading of the August 18 statement says that trans womyn are welcome at Fest, why is it necessary to make a special point of emphasizing this? I learned the answer by joining the dialogue within the Michfest community, where there is much strong support for welcoming trans womyn to the Land, but also some resistance. For many womyn, it seems, the intention is almost a kind of proof text demonstrating that "Trans womyn are not welcome," with the August 18 statement to be read accordingly. In this view, one traditional description of trans womyn coming to Fest as "gatecrashers" may actually be a bit mild. They are indeed "boundary violators," or "intruders," or even a bit like male rapists "who won't take `No' for an answer." For example, in one conversation, I mentioned the sentences in the August 18 statement justly celebrating the diversity that Fest has achieved, specifically noting that trans womyn as well as trans men serve on crew. The reply, to paraphrase closely: "That's only a statement of fact, that they are there on crew. It actually shows how generous Fest is with these boundary violators that not only are they allowed to attend, they are even allowed on crew. It only shows that although these people disrespect Fest, we don't gender-police, unlike the patriarchy!" This way of thinking -- that trans womyn at Fest are tolerated but unwelcome "gatecrashers" or "boundary violators" -- may have been set in place by a famous Fest statement of 2006. After a ticket was sold to a self-identified trans womon, an activist group announced in a press release that the policy had changed to full inclusion. As a reaction, Michfest issued this rebuttal: "If a transwoman purchased a ticket, it represents nothing more than that womon choosing to disrespect the stated intention of this Festival." (Statement of August 22, 2006) Today, at any event, after some Fest statements in 2013 and earlier 2014 which treat the interpretation of the intention as a matter of personal conscience for each attendee, the August 18 statement moves into a new and more just realm where trans womyn are indisputably welcome and valued. The August 18 statement, as a brilliant and compassionate clarification affirming both intention and inclusion, should thus be part of a campaign of community education bringing it home that trans womyn are womyn (as Fest has recognized from 2006 on); that they are welcome at Fest; and that they are only one spiral arm of the galaxy of gender variant womyn. Diversity is not a zero-sum game: let WBF Butch Lesbians and Lesbian trans womyn of various persuasions, for example, happily coexist and show that there is indeed honor among "gender outlaws." ---------------------------------------------------- 3. Understand that this is an issue of Lesbian unity ---------------------------------------------------- The current conflict goes back to the period of 1973-1979, when transsexual Lesbian feminists of the Second Wave sought inclusion in groups or organizations where Female Assigned At Birth (FAAB) womyn were a majority. Given the tradition of autonomous small groups, each group set its own policy. However, aggressive campaigns also took place to boycott or otherwise pressure groups that accepted transsexuals in a spirit of sisterhood. Documents from this era suggest that in 1975-1978, the epoch in which Fest began and the "womyn-born womyn" intention was formulated, this intention was simply for an all-womyn's space -- because transsexual womyn (Lesbian or otherwise) were considered to be "men," who obviously did not belong in womyn's space! In that view, it would seem, there was only one kind of "real womon" -- the kind born female. Likewise in 1991, when Nancy Jean Burkholder was removed from Fest -- a wrong decision, as the August 18 statement acknowledges in a giant step of truth and reconciliation -- she was viewed as a "transsexual man," rather than any kind of womon! Thus, while the birth of Fest itself represented the highest aspirations of a visionary young womon named Lisa Vogel, and of the Lesbian feminist community, the exclusion of transsexual womyn as "men" represented ignorance, fear, and a touch of the xenophobia which can appear in so many areas of human life. This was a conflict of Lesbians against Lesbians, which I described around 1975 as "sororicidal" -- sister wounding sister. And while the controversies at Michfest over the past 23 years have drawn in other communities -- as well as individuals looking for some trouble or excitement (e.g. sabotage on the Land in 2010) pretty much for its own sake -- the issue remains above all one of Lesbian unity between FAAB and transsexual women, as well as Lesbian-identifying intersex people. Thus both National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and Equality Michigan (with Lesbian womyn as part of its LGBT constituency) are rightly concerned that FAAB Lesbian womyn and transsexual Lesbian womyn enjoy the sisterly unity that has so often been disrupted by four decades of needless and often quite senseless conflict. And, above all, Michfest itself needs the unity of all Lesbian feminist womyn as a sound foundation for sustaining and strengthening Fest. A house -- or tent -- divided against itself cannot stand. But an army of Amazons united against the patriarchy cannot fail! ----------------------------------------------------------- 4. Understand that welcoming trans womyn keeps Fest focused ----------------------------------------------------------- In fact, the outdated and unjust interpretation of the intention as excluding trans womyn, or at least refusing to welcome us as legitimate and valued attendees, keeps a focus squarely on "the trans issue," often in ways that make Fest a hostile environment for sisterhood and distract from the actually intended focus of Fest. For example, in 2012, there was a "T-shirt war," with supporters of "trans womyn aren't welcome according to the intention" wearing shirts to make "a sea of red," and many trans womyn and allies wearing shirts saying "Trans Womyn Belong Here" (or TWBH for short). Webpages have also boasted of incidents where Lesbian trans womyn were met with cries of "Man on the Land!" traditionally reserved to warn of the male crews brought in to maintain the Port-a-Janes. In theory, "gender policing" is contrary to Fest policy, and every womon who comes is to be welcomed. But when trans womyn are viewed as "gatecrashers" or "boundary violators," and the intention seems inevitably to carry the message for many womyn that "trans womyn are not welcome," the environment is often less hospitable than hostile. In contrast, during the 1980's, it appears that transsexual Lesbians attended Fest with little if any fuss or problem. Regularizing the situation based on the August 18 statement with its appropriately updated understanding of the intention may happily restore that state of affairs, and let Fest again embody a realm of sisterhood in which "for a week, we collectively experience a Lesbian-centered world." ------------------------------------------------- 5. Set boundaries to avoid or minimize triggering ------------------------------------------------- One concern often voiced about the inclusion of trans womyn and trans men is "Penises Made Visible on the Land!" -- that is, however their owners or others may choose to describe them, the genitals of pre-op/non-op trans womyn, and also of some trans men who undergo phalloplasty. Thus in 1999, a trans man who had undergone phalloplasty received permission from the womyn present to take a shower in the Twilight Zone (known for its tolerance of the adventurous) -- but caused major problems when other womyn happened by who had not consented. In 2011, a post-operative trans womon was insensitive enough to attend a workshop on "Sex for One" intended for womyn recovering from sexual assault or abuse, and share a graphic account of pre-op autoeroticism which triggered acute trauma among those present. (Making such a sensitive workshop WBF-only would be one option, see Section 7.) For many transsexuals who are delighted to keep their pre-op genitals hidden, or likewise graphic accounts of what their genitals were like before surgery, a rule of "No Visible Penises on the Land" will be no burden at all. For others, it might require some self-restraint -- but self-restraint that Fest policy may rightly ask in order to protect WBF attendees, and especially those using Fest as a healing space after sexual assault or childhood abuse, from needless triggering and stress. The obvious exception to this rule, of course, would be in private settings where all present or who may become witnesses have given enthusiastic consent. Carefully defined and secluded areas where such nudity is permitted could also be specified by agreement. It may be well to add that a simple policy of "No People with Penises on the Land" could only be enforced by panty checks or the like -- which have never been used, not even when Nancy Jean Burkholder offered before her expulsion in 1991 to prove by inspection that she had undergone surgery! But clear boundaries regarding public display of such genitals can be drawn, stated, and enforced if necessary. ----------------------------------------- 6. Provide adequate privacy showers, etc. ----------------------------------------- Ample privacy showers should be provided not only for trans womyn and trans men whose genitals are likely to be perceived as usual "penises," but also for WBF attendees who desire privacy but feel safest showering with other WBF. Such accommodations will made it clear that while the strong preferences of some womyn for WBF-only environments should not stand as barriers to the inclusion at Fest of all womyn, these preferences can and should be honored by setting boundaries to confirm that trans womyn come in peace and with sensitivity to the vulnerabilities of some of their sisters. It has been observed that the Land cannot be "partitioned" neatly into separate WBF zones and others for "all womyn" or "all attendees," etc. However, Fest's live-and-let-live compromises resolving the BDSM controversies of the 1980's, for example, show that mutual respect and voluntary accommodation can be practical solutions. One quite understandable response to the idea of voluntary zones is that this resembles "segregation." But setting reasonable boundaries is, again, preferable to an arbitrary barrier excluding or at least stigmatizing as "boundary violators" all womyn in a category (e.g. trans womyn); or the lack of agreed boundaries which can result in triggering, trauma, conflict, and unwarranted prejudice against the entire group because of the acts of a few. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. Remember that Fest is a womyn's space with many spaces and niches -------------------------------------------------------------------- Approaches to achieve "unity in diversity" such as caucasing for WBF and trans womyn; workshops for specified groups or subgroups within Fest; and tents reserved for these groups (e.g. Women of Color or WOC; WBF in general; intersexual womyn; Jewish womyn; Lesbian trans womyn, etc.) can at once reduce tension and provide opportunities to show mutual recognition and respect. Defining and then observing healthy boundaries is an opportunity to build trust and confidence, and overcome stereotypes that WBF attendees are "transphobic," or that trans womyn are "Lesbophobic." (From experience at the intersection of these prejudices, I can say that both definitely exist, but are hardly the rule!) ----------------------------------------------------------------- 8. Blame the patriarchy and prejudice, not their innocent victims ----------------------------------------------------------------- One observation made about Fest at various points from 1999 on is that gender nonconforming WBF womyn (especially Butch Lesbians) have often had their gender questioned, coming under suspicion of being "trans womyn"! In the world outside Fest, of course, these same womyn may face suspicion in womyn's restrooms, for example, quite apart from any actual or suspected presence of trans womyn. However, at Fest, it may be hard to tell one type of "gender outlaw" from another without a scorecard. This situation at Fest may be a bit analogous to that in the U.S.A. during the earlier 20th century when Lesbianism became more visible, and some heterosexual womyn felt that they could no longer "innocently" hold hands as they would have done as a matter of course in earlier decades. In either case, we should blame not the trans womon at Fest or the loving Lesbian couple of a century ago for subjecting other womyn to suspicion -- but the patriarchy and its prejudices for victimizing all womyn. Of course, the longstanding Fest policy against "gender policing" already tells us that we shouldn't be trying to keep score in the first place! But by making it clear that trans womyn are welcome at Fest, the August 18 statement removes any reasonable basis for feeling that these womyn are somehow "boundary violators" disrespecting Fest policy, whom it might be hard to resist identifying and watching. ----------------------------------------------------- 9. Learn the right things from past incidents at Fest ----------------------------------------------------- Reviewing past incidents involving "trans issues," whether as reported at the time or as remembered and recounted by witnesses (oral herstory is powerful!), can be an opportunity for learning, problem-solving, and developing policies or boundaries to prevent these things from happening again. The process can be both healing and creative. For example, WBF womyn might look at examples of not-so-good behavior by WBF attendees, and trans womyn at similar episodes involving trans womyn; then WBF could critique incidents where trans womyn behaved inappropriately, and trans womyn likewise critique questionable behavior by WBF. Asking what may have brought about the behavior, as well as how it might be prevented, or at least made less likely in the future, can build empathy and trust between womyn coming from different backgrounds. The wrong way, of course, is to use such incidents to scapegoat or reject an entire group based on the behavior of a few members who are likely to get quite widespread notice. It is worse when the "bad apple" turns out not to belong to the assumed group at all. For example, oral herstory by womyn there indicates that some truly scary vandalism at Fest in 2010, often used against trans womyn, was in fact committed by a mentally ill person who was not a trans womon. And the infamous 1999 shower incident in the Twilight Zone (Section 5 above) involved a trans man who presumably had usual female chromosomes (46-xx) as well as female socialization. Issues raised about trans womyn may involve general xenophobia and scapegoating; valid concerns about differences between male and female socialization, for example, which may be addressed through feminist process with its call to "Check Your Privileges" of various kinds; and less pleasant behaviors engaged in by trans womyn and WBF attendees alike which were specific to the acute conflicts of 1999-2012. Having the wisdom to recognize each type of issue, and to address it appropriately, is one of the qualities that both WBF and trans womyn will develop as the August 18 statement serves as the foundation for a renewal of the Lesbian-centered world of Fest. ------------------------------ 10. Educate, educate, educate! ------------------------------ As the updated affirmation of intention and inclusion in the August 18 statement gives members of the Michfest community an opportunity more richly to appreciate where we have been and where we are going -- learning lessons that can make life on the Land better for festies -- educating each other on what we're learning becomes a top priority. Education may require exploring areas such as intersexuality where there are special experiences and vulnerabilities which neither WBF nor trans womyn share, such as the risk of Intersex Genital Mutilation (IGM) inflicted on infants or young children unable to resist or consent, in order to erase the uniqueness of their bodies and bring them into line with patriarchal sex binary standards. Even intersex babies spared IGM are coercively assigned to a binary gender, with the option for an intergender identity (something like the genderqueer concept) generally not even on the table. Intersex people may come to Fest as WBF (if assigned female at birth), for example, but with a difference. And the right either to reveal and share this special herstory, or to keep it private, must always be honored among sisters. Education also may involve developing and publishing etiquette tips to help people with different bodies, gender identities, and gender expressions to live on the Land with respect and understanding. For example, a trans womon leaning to conventional feminine expression who tells a Butch womon: "I am a better womon that you are" must learn differently! But a bit of preventative education may avoid many such insults where the remark was thoughtless rather than deliberately hurtful. Fest materials, helping womyn (and trans men) representing a vast range of gender variation and "outlawry" to live together harmoniously for one week each year, may provide valuable resources for NCLR, Equality Michigan, and other organizations promoting feminism and LGBTIQA rights. Thus the circle of inclusion may have its center in each of us, and its circumference embracing not only the "Lesbian-centered world" of Michfest but the larger arena of Planet Gaia. Margo Schulter mschulter at calweb dot com Second draft 23 September 2014