I have been inspired by all the brilliant points made in the letters to NCLR regarding the boycott. I wanted to add my own voice to the chorus, since I think it helps to have as many individuals heard from as possible. Here is my letter: Dear Kate Kendell and NCLR board members, I am writing this letter to express my feelings of dismay that you, as directors of NCLR which purports to be a national organization that supports lesbian (and trans lesbians) rights, have committed an act which sticks a knife right through the largest beating lesbian heart in herstory, the Michigan Womyn’s music Festival. I am a woman who has been a lesbian my entire life. There is nowhere else on this planet where I feel so validated, so loved, so free and safe, as Michfest. As a butch woman, there is nowhere else I can see and be seen exactly for who and what I am, proudly and simply, with no questions or qualifiers. This unique atmosphere is not only life-affirming, but it is life-saving. I have met many, many young lesbians at Fest (yes, the place is still full of them) who have spoken with shaking voices, saying this one week experience has saved their lives. How can you possibly, possibly join the misguided voices of the misogynists who say Michigan must cease to exist unless we change it so it is no longer the thing that makes it precious? If you do, you ignore all the lesbians that you profess to support who say they need this. The intention that Michfest be for WBW or WBF only is being viewed through a patriarchal eye, and that is backwards from it’s true purpose. The intention is designed to set out a space FOR a particularly vulnerable group, not AGAINST anyone. The intention of that is everything. Michfest is not a hate group, it is in fact a huge love group. Besides hurt feelings (which I believe are a direct result of looking at the intention through a backwards, patriarchal filter- i.e. - if I’m not invited, they must hate me), the intention of Michfest causes no harm to anyone. It is a privately funded event on privately owned land. Please reconsider your damaging stance on the Equality Michigan’s boycott. You do not represent me, or the thousands of women who love this festival with all our being. You have capitulated to the twisted bullying of a few folks who use the loving intention of Michfest as a bullseye for their feelings of anger and powerlessness that are caused by our common enemy, patriarchy. A one-week supportive, celebratory event put on by a bunch of dykes in the woods, that does not police anyones’ gender, is not the source of trans folks’ oppression. Remember this - it is perfectly okay for women and girls, who have lived their entire lives under patriarchy, to get together for a week of support and love once a year. It has to be okay, or we are living in a world where there is no respect, no privacy, no sanctuary for anyone they decide to deny it to. Until you rescind your support of the Michfest boycott, I will withdraw my support of your organization. I understand you are funded through donations by lesbians like us. I will be spreading and sharing my thoughts on your boycott, which I and most of my lesbian friends find to be hypocritical and back-stabbing. I expect more from the NCLR. Sincerely, Lisa Juday Cambridge, WI
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 16:26:50 +0000
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