trans inclusion at PantheaCon

[ianphanes]

There was kerfluffle at PantheaCon about trans inclusion.  One response can be found at:
http://fruitofpain.wordpress.com/2011/02/27/in-response-to-the-lilith-rite-at-pantheacon/

I'm not focusing on the blog post but on two of the comments to the post.

Z. Budapest wrote:This struggle has been going since the Women’s Mysteries first appeared.

Comments

[ianphanes]

Z's language is simply shocking:
"Transies"
"Women are born not made by men on operating tables."

Then she asks "Why are we the ONLY tradition they want?" and follows it with "Go Gardnerian!" Is she really unaware that some transfolk have had serious problems being accepted into BTW?

Kenaz, on the other hand, answers beautifully, from a third-gender perspective. I hope someday to get to know hir.

[ianphanes]

I will admit that I think transwomen doing a modified cult of Attis kind of thing would be pretty bad-ass, if galli were an identity people wanted to claim.

There are transwomen doing this. I'm certain of this since at least one of them used to write about it on the transpirits email list back when I was on the list.

[ianphanes]

Oh, it occurred to me last night: Can you imagine, you, me, and Kenaz planning a ritual together? The only thing I'm certain of is that there wouldn't be any offices assigned by gender.

[kenazf]

Always happy to hear from fans!

In the end, I think the Pantheacon flap proved to be a good thing: it forced a lot of people to talk about issues which needed to be aired and raised consciousness a great deal for those who had consciousness to be raised. (And I even appreciate Z Budapest's comment: she has managed to shoot herself in the foot and make her side look worse than anything I or anyone else could have said).

Speaking of which: does anyone else feel like contacting featured guests at ZB's next "Women's Spirituality Event" and asking them if they support her views on transpeople and, if not, if they feel it is appropriate to support an event given by a woman who feels that way? Sometimes a soft word and economic pressure can get a point across far better than a soft word.

[kenazf]

Ian: thanks for the kind words. I've friended you and look forward to reading more of your posts.