Camp Trans & Michigan Womyn's Music Festival
den...@virtualx.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: May 2, 1994
NEWS RELEASE o NEWS RELEASE o NEWS RELEASE o NEWS RELEASE o NEWS RELEASE
The Committee to Free Nancy Now!
and
The Transexual Menace
Present
U . N . I . T . Y !
A fundraiser in support of
C A M P T R A N S
The Outreach Event Across The Road From The Michigan Womyn's Music Festival
June 29, 1994 at 7:30 PM
The Lesbian & Gay Community Services Center
208 W 13th St, NY, NY
In 1991, Nancy Burkholder, a transsexual woman, was thrown out of
Michigan Womyn's Music Festival because she was considered to be "still a
man" by two Festival security guards. In previous years, she had attended
the Festival and had even been a volunteer worker. Festival organizers Boo
and Lisa supported the expulsion by stating that the Festival was and
always had been for "Womyn-born-womyn only".
In 1992, supporters of transsexual inclusion went to Michigan in hopes
of reversing the policy and educating the women attending the Festival.
While many attendees supported them, the policy stood: No Transsexual
Women.
Again in 1993, the supporters returned. This time they came with
Nancy Burkholder and other transsexual women to conduct scheduled Festival
workshops and outreach to other attendees. Although receiving the support
of many women, they were again thrown out. Still determined to conduct
their workshops, they camped across from the main gate in the woods of the
National Park. Over 75 women attended the workshops and more than 200
women stopped by to offer their support. Camp Trans was born.
Inspired by the love and support of many Festival women, Camp Trans
will return to Michigan in 1994 with an expanded outreach program. Camp
Trans will sponsor over 15 workshops covering a wide range of women's
topics including Safe Sex, AIDS, Shame, Sexuality, Anti-Violence, Health
and Differently Abled/Physically Challenged. Camp Trans will also offer
selected readings by Leslie Feinberg from 'Stone Butch Blues'. There will
be many other activities including guest speakers, musical acts, the famous
campfire cookouts (Have a Hot Dog with the Transsexuals: Eat our Wieners,
Bite our Buns) and much, much more! All free for all women!
The U.N.I.T.Y! fundraiser will help defray the cost of running Camp
Trans and bringing these workshops to the women's community. It will
feature speakers from all areas of the Queer community who believe in unity
and inclusion of all people. At this time, the partial list of expected
speakers and guests included:
Joan Nestle - Author/Founder of Lesbian Herstory Archives.
Tom Duane - NYC Councilperson.
Ann Northrup - Gay Games IV/Unity 94, Inc.
Leslie Feinberg - Author of 'Stone Butch Blues'.
Kate Bornstein - Playwright/Actress.
Richard Burns - Exec. Director, NYC Lesbian & Gay Community Center.
The Imperial Court of New York and many others...
Plus comedy from Jaffe Cohn of Funny Gay Men and other funny people.
Special musical guests.
And of course, Nancy Burkholder!
A suggested donation of $10 (more if you can, less if you can't) will
be asked at the door. Starting at 6:30 PM., videos donated by Betty
Dodson, T-shirts, buttons, books and other exciting stuff will be offered
for sale!
All monies collected will go directly to Camp Trans and the workshops.
Camp Trans is an all-volunteer effort for women by women!
The Committee to Free Nancy Now! is a sisterhood of women who are
outraged by the treatment of Nancy Burkholder and other transsexual women
by separatist lesbians and the organizers of Michigan Womyn's Music
Festival and have come together to promote inclusion of transsexuals and
help educate the women's community attending the Festival about transsexual
issues.
The Transexual Menace is an education, outreach and direct action
group organized in a purpose and manner similar to ACT UP and Queer Nation.
In addition to holding actions against individuals and organizations whose
policies and/or opinions are discriminatory to the Gender community, it
sponsors outreach and educational events for the Queer and non-Queer
communities. The Transexual Menace follows a policy of 'Confront with
Love'. Membership in The Transexual Menace is open to all people who
believe inclusiveness builds community, regardless of gender identity or
sexual orientation.
For more information contact: Riki Anne Wilchins
The Transexual Menace
ri...@virtualx.com / camp...@virtualx.com
The views expressed here are those of the author.
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