UK: Queer Up North protest, 18 May
This Sunday there's going to be a demo protesting the involvement of an openly Transphobic artist at Manchester's Queer up North festival. Consider coming along or emailing your complaints to Queer Up North.
Remember, the exclusion of Transwomen from women's spaces doesn't just affect Transwomen. It's a matter of cis-privilege, and while Transwomen are still taken as men by the queer community then there's no way that they can claim to respect any Transperson's gender identity.
Queer up North's response to complaints so far has been that they feel that debate and diversity of view points are healthy and valid ... but I doubt their response would extend to allowing homophobic artists a platform to voice their views.
Date: Sunday 18 May 2008
Time: 6:30pm - 9:30pm
Place: Matt & Phred's, 64 Tibb Street, Manchester
More info: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=12293997822
Please circulate widely. :-)
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Bitch (formerly of queercore duo Bitch And Animal) is a veteran of the transmisogynistic (Trans woman hating) Michigan Womyn's Music Festival and has long been an outspoken supporter of the exclusion of trans women from women-only events.
She's coming to Manchester to play a gig on May 18th as part of the annual Queer Up North festival.
She's said in interviews that as far as she's concerned protests against Transwoman exclusion are about "making men comfortable and satisfying men", basically saying that Trans women are men.
She has also argued that MWMF isn't Transphobic because there are loads of Trans guys there.
About Trans women: "It doesn't mean that they're not a woman. If they want to be a woman, I'll call them a woman, I'll treat them as a woman, no problem. I don't have any problem with changing up my definitions of what a woman is. But, they're definitely not a woman like I'm a woman."
The point of protesting her gig for Queer Up North isn't about trying to silence her in any way or follow up a personal vendetta. She's not the only one with these views by a long shot - they're common throughout the feminist and dyke communities.
It is important, however, that these sorts of views are publicly challenged and people do make a visible stand against Transphobes clothing their prejudice with a veneer of feminism.
If you can't make it to the march, please consider e-mailing or writing to Queer Up North and asking them about why they'd book someone who was kicked off the Boston Dyke March billing for her Transphobic words and her involvement in defending MWMF's Transmisogynistic policies last year.
Remember, the exclusion of Transwomen from women's spaces doesn't just affect Transwomen. It's a matter of cis-privilege, and while Transwomen are still taken as men by the queer community then there's no way that they can claim to respect any Transperson's gender identity.
Queer up North's response to complaints so far has been that they feel that debate and diversity of view points are healthy and valid ... but I doubt their response would extend to allowing homophobic artists a platform to voice their views.
Date: Sunday 18 May 2008
Time: 6:30pm - 9:30pm
Place: Matt & Phred's, 64 Tibb Street, Manchester
More info: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=12293997822
Please circulate widely. :-)
-----------------------------
Bitch (formerly of queercore duo Bitch And Animal) is a veteran of the transmisogynistic (Trans woman hating) Michigan Womyn's Music Festival and has long been an outspoken supporter of the exclusion of trans women from women-only events.
She's coming to Manchester to play a gig on May 18th as part of the annual Queer Up North festival.
She's said in interviews that as far as she's concerned protests against Transwoman exclusion are about "making men comfortable and satisfying men", basically saying that Trans women are men.
She has also argued that MWMF isn't Transphobic because there are loads of Trans guys there.
About Trans women: "It doesn't mean that they're not a woman. If they want to be a woman, I'll call them a woman, I'll treat them as a woman, no problem. I don't have any problem with changing up my definitions of what a woman is. But, they're definitely not a woman like I'm a woman."
The point of protesting her gig for Queer Up North isn't about trying to silence her in any way or follow up a personal vendetta. She's not the only one with these views by a long shot - they're common throughout the feminist and dyke communities.
It is important, however, that these sorts of views are publicly challenged and people do make a visible stand against Transphobes clothing their prejudice with a veneer of feminism.
If you can't make it to the march, please consider e-mailing or writing to Queer Up North and asking them about why they'd book someone who was kicked off the Boston Dyke March billing for her Transphobic words and her involvement in defending MWMF's Transmisogynistic policies last year.