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As a way to get started, can everyone introduce themselves? here's some suggestions, feel free to add/subtract/modify/embellish.....
30 yrs old
living in kansas city, mo
in terms of identity i find myself in these spheres/groupings: genderqueer, female, faggy butch, sometimes "seen" by others as woman and other times boi/y, queer, dyke (of course its a partial list;-)
want to continue discussions about what gender means to me in my life and in a larger political/social context, on a community level(town and social), nationally and beyond.
ideas/theories/expressions/understandings of gender change over time and i want to discuss these changes/trends/variations with people from across a spectrum of experiences/identites/locations/ages
im concerned that the mich trans policy is devisive and needs to change, but im not sure how and i want to discuss it with lots of people
facilitate connections between thirdwave/2ndwave feminism/genderqueer/radical feminism and other emerging movements/groupings/people
30 yrs old
living in kansas city, mo
in terms of identity i find myself in these spheres/groupings: genderqueer, female, faggy butch, sometimes "seen" by others as woman and other times boi/y, queer, dyke (of course its a partial list;-)
want to continue discussions about what gender means to me in my life and in a larger political/social context, on a community level(town and social), nationally and beyond.
ideas/theories/expressions/understandings of gender change over time and i want to discuss these changes/trends/variations with people from across a spectrum of experiences/identites/locations/ages
im concerned that the mich trans policy is devisive and needs to change, but im not sure how and i want to discuss it with lots of people
facilitate connections between thirdwave/2ndwave feminism/genderqueer/radical feminism and other emerging movements/groupings/people
posted by:
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Kansas City
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Re: Introduce yrself......
Sat, September 13, 2003 - 2:47 PMwell, lets see.....
I'm 25, livin large in B-ton IN. I consider myself a dyke, somewhat in between traditional groupings, don't really fit into the butch/femme dichotomy. A friend once described me as a tomboy-femme...i guess its as apt a definition as i've heard, but ahhh, the anti-nature nature of such things......
I study gender, both scholastically and recreationaly. And i make a practice of challenging the status quo whenever an opportunity cums along. -
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Re: Introduce yrself......
Tue, September 16, 2003 - 6:18 AM24...swingin' it in San Diego, CA. Others within the GLBT community consider me to fall on the butch side of the spectrum via the dichotomy. but when asked how i describe my self i have a hard time fitting on that spectrum in general. mostly because while i believe that reclaiming "queer" terminology is important i think that the more basic issues still need to be addressed in order for the gender movement to remain stable. as stated earlier in a conversation with aliza, for example:
a women who "acts" like a girl is femme
a women who "acts" like a boy is butch
a man who "acts" like a girl is femme
a gay man who "acts" like a boy is butch
a man who "acts" like a boy is a man
i do realize that this is small thing but a "thing" none the less. i'd love to hear what everyone thinks about that? i think the main goal of breaking down that last statement would truly help us create the continuum that i think is in existence rather than the circular spectrum that we are currently asked to fall within. anyhoo, one of my best friends once described me as a squishy butch....and i'll leave my description at that for now....
i'll be patiently awaiting some deep discussion:)
and thank you jen k for this great opportunity... -
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Re: Introduce yrself......
Wed, September 24, 2003 - 8:36 AMI'm Rita Brinkerhoff, I'm 22. I live in Kansas City. I'm a monogamous queer lady.
I like discussion, as long as it reaches towards a goal. I don't like discussions about whether trans women are "really women" or not. I want to talk about different ways to work to change the "no transsexual women" at Michigan policy. I believe in holding public people in the "women's community" accountable for their f'd up (a)political stances about the policy. I think this raises awareness, and is neccessary.
Two things:
1) No way would I go to that festival, it just isn't my thing (Plus, all the $$$$ is really offputting).
However,
2) I want to change it for all the trans women who would benefit from that space, who need and want to be a part of a large, women-only gathering.
I want to talk about how we can do this.
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Re: Introduce yrself......
Mon, September 29, 2003 - 3:31 PMtook me a while but here's me-this what it says on my firendster account:
just your average sober,queer,dyslestic,switch,polyamorous, romantic,want-to-be anarchist, genderfucking boy looking femme want-to-be extremely shy, recovering intellectual,socially clueless pro-domme who wants to be an esl teacher .
that's me right know. i also come from a working class blue collar white trash backround and i get a long better with blue collar older lesbians half the time than the third wave college kids who i often discuss gender with.
I was at michigan, i probably wouldn't be back due to class issues and the gender policy not mention lack of funds but i did get to talk to separtists and 2nd wave lesbians and i want to continue that discuss. i'm currently primaries with a gender-queer transwomen and involved in educating and discussing gender and class issues with all people on the spectrum.
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Re: Introduce yrself......
Tue, September 30, 2003 - 11:46 PMi am 33, bio-female, living in Oakland, CA.
never questioned my gender identity, always happy & feel right being female. i'm a dyke/lesbian.
always loved women's spaces & could never afford MWMF. now i can but choose not to go.
attended camp trans for the first time this year, and am boycotting MWMF until they are inclusive of self-identified women.
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Unsu...
Re: Introduce yrself......
Wed, October 1, 2003 - 3:12 PMMe Illara Sunsurn
Almost 30
Im currently female, most of the time
I once was a boy, most of the time
I will be something else, most of the time
Vancouver, BC, non gendered identities, intellectual thinker, artist, sex worker, sex positive, not too self positive. I am sexual, with a good number of people of many genders, and still can't get laid regularly...
MWMF Is too far too mainstream and I think this whole antitrans stance has helped more people be aware of MWMF than any marketing campaign has done.
Personally I have always been of the stance not to fight such things, just make something bigger and better instead. But then I tend to be full of ideas, I just now need other people to run with them, Im too busy sitting around thinking up new ideas to do such things.
Gender will stay relevant only as long as we give creedence to it, in time there will be perfect little ungendered pockets where those who feel bothered/opressed by gendering everything can sing dance laugh and play away from such things, but it will be quite a while yet.
Illara
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Re: Introduce yrself......
Wed, October 1, 2003 - 5:24 PM24 years old
living in San Francisco, CA
identity had been this ever changing thing for me and hopefully will continue to be (I hate stability). I don't like having to have a label, but see that it is necessary sometimes, so here is my work-in-progress identity-
I'm a queer flexi-vegan tomboy fagfemme leatherdyke switch. I'm a little bit andro, a little bit soft-butch, soft-femme, depending on my mood, but mostly these are just names we have to use in order to describe things that seem arbitrary to me. I am me and in order to find out who that is, you'll just have to get to know me.
My theory/ideas/understanding/etc. of gender is that it is fluid and a social construct. I do think that gender identity is important for some in order to create a "safe" space and that is my understanding of the MWMF, though I've never been. The problem with creating a "safe" space based on identity is that everyone's opinion of indentity is subjective. I am going through similar discussions in my lesbian singing group, so this issue is hitting home right now and would love more discussion.
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Re: Introduce yrself......
Sun, January 25, 2004 - 5:42 PMHi, I'm Alison.
Last summer, I attended the Gender 101 workshop at Michigan; I hope to participate in similar events (and other forms of pro-trans inclusion activism) next year.
Hmm, what else? DC is my hometown, but I reside in SF, where I recently moved to start grad school. Let's see... I'm 28, queer, a first generation college grad/working-middle class border crosser, and an incorrigible bibliophile. I'm mightily obsessed with my cats, theories of gender and sexuality, activism, travel, and good food. Sometimes, I dance.
I've attended MWMF for 2 years now and I hope to return this summer. Nonethless, I'm oppossed to the policy, as I believe are many attendees and workers. My view? Change needs to come from inside as well as outside fest. Michigan is a magical place (something I didn't believe until I attended), and I hope that all women can attend, and soon. That's all... for now.
Good to meet you!
~Alison -
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Re: Introduce yrself......
Thu, February 12, 2004 - 10:03 AMas a worker at michigan I'd like to say that a good portion of the workers support a change in the trans policy. I've been to camp trans every year I've been a at michigan bringing water, food, beer and anything else I thought might be needed across the road. I believe we can and do support each other in this complicated process both as indiviuals and as a groups.
It's a tough spot I find myself to be in cause truth told I love michigan it gives me somthing that I dont get in the real world. A solid month in the woods surrounded by some of the most amazin people I have ever met. Building a small city out of nothing, working hard playing harder.
I am not the enemy which is how I often think many people feel about those of us who go.
Is the policy fucked? yes
Do I want mich to be trans inclusive? yes
There's alot of work to be done.
please excuse any run on sentences or misspelled words thanks
JB.
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