Why I am wearing red this year

It is not because I hate trans people. It isn’t because I don’t know any trans people, or don’t know that they come to fest anyway. It isn’t because I am not kind, sweet, loving, big-hearted, or that I don’t believe in “transgender” as a legitimate identity and way of being in the world. 

I do know our biology informs our lives, beginning before we are even born. I know patriarchy is real and has a huge impact on males and females alike, and I believe that female only space is a way to start healing some of the damage done to females in patriarchy. I think it is the responsibility of oppressed people to work on their healing in ways that are meaningful and effective, and Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival is that healing space for thousands of females. It also isn’t that I don’t think trans people want or deserve healing, maybe even the kind of healing I find at fest. I absolutely support trans people in their journey and their healing process, just as I would hope for (but don’t really expect, at this point) support in mine. 

Over the years, I have thought about the issue of trans women and trans men at fest. I began without a firm opinion. I visited Camp Trans, read handouts, talked to trans folks in the line, and did readings at home as well as talked to festies and trans people I know. I listened, and I formed my opinion. I do believe that changing the intention to include anyone who identifies as a woman diminishes the positive healing space we have. The past two festivals have cemented my opinion and created in me a need to use my voice. I’m not always articulate when I feel strong emotions, and festival always brings on strong emotions in me. At first, this made me afraid but I am working to embrace these strong feelings in my life and allow myself to sit with those feelings while I work on articulating them.

So I am wearing red because I support the intention of fest as wbw space. I don’t think it needs to be redefined to “modern” definitions of “woman” because I think everyone knows what is meant but our language and words are being used against us. Continuously redefining “woman”, “lesbian” and “dyke” is only going to hurt females. Over the years I saw Yellow Armbands and TWBH buttons and tshirts, I saw TWBH supporters jump on stage. And last year for the first time, womyn who need and support healing space for females finally had a way to show it. The color red was chosen because it is recognizable and it is symbolic of female blood, shed through violence and through our biology. And the accusations began, that “wbw are being aggressive, are making it feel like gang colors, are making (TWBH supporters) feel bad” by simply wearing the color red. I have had enough of being the good girl and not speaking out when I disagree because I didn’t want to make waves. Womyn who support the intention have been afraid to speak up, afraid to disagree because of the reactions from people who would change the intention of festival as female only space. We are not the aggressors. We are only using our voices, as best as we can, even though we may be afraid.