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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (May 6, 2005)
may 6.2M5 ’ jlMt BMt17 rTTÎTTTTÏTTInews T he U ltimate E strogenarium Portlanders sojourn to the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival by Jaymee R. Cuti sizable pilgrimage is headed to designed and supported hy other women for just the 30th annual Michigan one week a year, as an alternative to routine Womyn’s Music Festival from patriarchal culture,” said Pruett. “From my own Portland to partake in a week of perspective, I forget that it’s women only music, debauchery, politically because there’s such a diversity of gender repre charged interchange and community building from hutch dykes to bearded women sentation, with women, for women, by women. to bois,” said Pruett. For those new to the event, several festival According to Pruett, when one’s gender is in workers from Portland are holding a get-togeth question, festival officials will state the policy er to dispel rumors and offer helpful tips. and ask the individual to respect it. No further “The event will be a chance to get a vis questioning takes place. ceral sense of the festival, to ask questions Chiricuzio says she is glad there is no panty about what it’s like,” said Holly Pruett, a Mich check and concurs that a spectrum of genders is Fest worker for the eighth year. represented at the festival. According to Pruett, 22 Oregonians are on this year’s work crew, and through the years, 450 women from Oregon have worked at the festival. “Add to that the craftswomen, artists and festi-goers from Oregon, and you have a sizable annual pilgrimage,” Pruett said. The meeting will start 6 p.m. May 22 at Cotton Cloud Futons, 701 N.E. Broadway. It will include fixxl, dancing and viewings of the short films Radical liar- monies and Michigan Fever. Festival, as it’s called by festies (those who attend) So much to do. and music, too. Mich Fest revelers catch a show. takes place on “the land,” a secluded w<x>d in Michigan where thousands “If you know you’re a woman and you live as gather annually. This year’s festival is from Aug. a woman and you think as a woman and you 9 through 14. Regulars say the experience is engage with other women as a woman and if you nothing short of amazing, commonly referenc have a penis, you keep it to yourself and know ing feelings of safety and community. that it triggers safety issues in some women, then “It’s the only place 1 have ever been that I I don’t have a problem sharing space with you,” could walk at night alone, completely naked, said Chiricuzio. and he completely safe,” said Sossity Chiricuzio, In protest of the official policy, Camp Trans who has traveled from Tucson, Ariz., and Port meets on the same week, across the road from land to attend Mich Fest. the festival. Others say they kxik forward to the festival “Mich Fest hills itself as being a festival of all year to decompress. diversity. I think it’s silly to embrace diversity “I go there every year to cleanse my soul.” said without embracing all diversity,” said Lauren Charly Welch, 21, who has attended 18 festivals. Steely, a self-identified trans dyke who serves as The festival sometimes has the reputation as strategy cwrdinator for Camp Trans. a staid event for radical lesbians, although efforts According to Steely, while Camp Trans was are being made to prevent stagnation in culture created as a protest, it has afforded the trans and programming. Founded by lesbian sepa community the opportunity to socialize and ratists involved in the women’s music move organize. ment, things have changed a lot in 30 years. “Besides being a protest this year, we’re work “The music has gotten so much better over ing on making it a hxxit camp for trans organiz the last couple of years as they try to incorporate ers, so folks can go back to their own communi stuff that appeals to the younger generation,” ties and organize around issues of importance to the trans population," she said. “The reason we noted Welch. fcxzus on Michigan is it is the single biggest Aside from the more than 40 music events example of blatant discrimination in the queer and a large vendor area, attendees say many women’s community.” issues on the progressive radar spawned from dis Camp Trans has found many supporters cussions and workshops at the festival. within Mich Fest attendees. According to “So many of the commitments in feminist Welch, the policy frustrates many women who enterprises in the last 30 years have some roots are open to having all self-identified women at in workshops in Michigan,” said Pruett. the festival. Despite its promotion of openness, the festi “There have been women who have been val is not without exclusion. The stated policy is going to festival all 30 years, and the whole trans that Mich Fest is only open to people bom movement is very new to them. You have to women, excluding transgender folks. educate people before you can get them to “The festival has always been intended as a change,” said Welch. JH place that women could experience life that is A SUBARU. 1,9mr ON AU NfW 2005 SUSANS HUNDREDS of subarus to choose from 2005 SUBARU OUTBACK 2005 SUBARU FORESTER HAVE A JOB? 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