MWMF Trans-Inclusion Petition

December 18, 2001

WE, THE UNDERSIGNED call for a peaceful re-evaluation of the Michigan 
Womyn's Music Festival's "Womyn-Born-Womyn" policy (hereafter referred 
to as "the policy"), with the ultimate goal of including all SELF-
IDENTIFIED women. We recognize that this change has been in the 
process for a number of years, and that emotions run high on all sides 
of the issue. We believe the difficult transition will happen through 
dialogue of many kinds, through positive outreach and education, 
peaceful protest, and the building of trust among women on the land. 

We are artists, musicians, activists, writers, and community 
organizers within the queer and women's communities. Many of us have 
attended the MWMF as performers, workshop leaders, workers and paying 
festival-goers. Others of us have not, either because we are not 
allowed to, or in protest of the policy. We want to change the policy 
because we love the festival, because we value the tradition of womyn-
only space, and because we feel it is time to expand the definition of 
"womyn" to include transsexual and transgender women. We do not 
consider trans-women a threat to our safety or identity. We recognize 
the many voices of trans-women as an integral part of the spectrum 
that makes up our community. 

We have experienced trans-inclusive women-only space, and we believe 
that self-definition is adequate "proof" of one's gender. We do not 
believe that a trans-woman's legal status or ability to "pass" should 
determine whether or not she is allowed on the land. Many womyn have 
expressed concern that, if the policy were to change, there would be 
no way to keep men from "dressing up like" women and coming to the 
festival. We believe the best way to avoid sabotage is to minimize 
suspicion and infighting, and insist that trans-women are WOMYN and 
are naturally included in the festival. Many of us have had to face 
discrimination and harassment because of our gender expression, and we 
see the scapegoating of trans-women as part of the same cycle of 
violence. Whether we're harassed because we "don't look like women" or 
we "look like we're asking for it," it's all a part of the same 
sexist, gender-rigid, patriarchal system that we are trying to resist. 


We express our deepest compassion for all people who have suffered 
under sexism, whose bodies and self-conceptions have been traumatized 
by male violence and control. We honor and respect the struggle to 
create and maintain womyn-only space, and recognize that many womyn 
are instinctively and understandably protective of that space. Some 
womyn on the land have complained that trans-women's voices and bodies 
are triggering for them, because they look and sound "like men." We 
believe that, while the presence of trans-women may be triggering for 
some people, this is a prejudice that can be overcome by building 
relationships and learning to empathize with each other's experiences. 
Many of us have also been accused of being "too manly," and we know 
that trans-women are also targets of violence, harassment and rape. 
Furthermore, we challenge the idea that womyn-only space is inherently 
safe; we know that women have been raped and children have been 
assaulted on womyn's land. We say this not as an accusation, but as a 
gentle reminder. The inclusion of trans-women on womyn's land does not 
bring in a "dangerous element;" what is truly dangerous is a climate 
of fear, distrust and bigotry that causes us to dehumanize each other. 


We challenge essentialism and encourage our community to greet this 
challenge with courage and creativity. We sign this letter in honor of 
those who have gone before us in the history of womyn's struggle, who 
have risked their lives for the rights of future generations. We 
believe that gender, identity, and coalition politics have become 
integral themes in shaping women's lives and communities, and that our 
strength is indeed in our diversity. We feel that to open the festival 
to ALL women, whether assigned at birth or self-identified, is to open 
our hearts and minds to a greater understanding of, and compassion 
for, our selves. 

Count my name among those who advocate for the inclusion of trans-
women at the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival. 

Signed,

1.	Nomy Lamm (Sister Spit/The Transfused), Olympia WA 
2.	Rachel Carns (The Need), Olympia WA 
3.	Tami Hart (solo artist), Portland OR 
4.	STS (The Haggard), Portland OR 
5.	Sadie Crabtree, (Strap-on.org editor), Washington DC