Man that is born of woman hath but a short time to live, and is full of misery. He cometh up, and is cut down, like a flower; he fleeth as it were a shadow, and never continueth in one stay.

Intentionally or not, this famous quotation from the Book of Common Prayer lifts the spirits. But it will have to go the way of all flesh, because it is not gender or transgender inclusive. Carnal Reason (h/t David Thompson) struggles with a “clarification” notice from the website of the Indiana Transgender Rights Advocacy Alliance:

“Since 1976, the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival has been created by and for womyn-born womyn, that is, womyn who were born as and have lived their entire life experience as womyn. Despite claims to the contrary by Camp Trans organizers, the Festival remains a rare and precious space intended for womyn-born womyn.”

The facts surrounding the interactions between WWTMC and Camp Trans organizers are as follows:

Mich Fest LogoIn the months preceding this year’s Festival, held August 8 - 13, there was communication between a Camp Trans organizer named Lorraine and Lisa Vogel. Letters from Lorraine continued during the Festival, when they were hand-delivered to the Festival’s front gate from Camp Trans, which takes place on Forest Service Land across from Festival property. On Tuesday, August 8th, Camp Trans organizers inquired at the Box Office about Festival admission. They were told that the Festival is intended for womyn-born womyn, and that those who seek to purchase tickets are asked to respect that intention. Camp Trans organizers left without purchasing tickets. They returned the next day and were given the same information. Lorraine at that point chose to purchase a ticket.

On Wednesday, August 9th, Vogel sent a reply letter to Lorraine which stated in part:

“I deeply desire healing in our communities, and I can see and feel that you want that too. I would love for you and the other organizers of Camp Trans to find the place in your hearts and politics to support and honor space for womyn who have had the experience of being born and living their life as womyn. I ask that you respect that womon born womon is a valid and honorable gender identity. I also ask that you respect that womyn born womyn deeply need our space — as do all communities who create space to gather, whether that be womyn of color, trans womyn or trans men… I wish you well, I want healing, and I believe this is possible between our communities, but not at the expense of deeply needed space for womyn born womyn.”

Vogel’s written request that Camp Trans organizers respect the Festival as womyn-born-womyn space was consistent with information provided to Camp Trans organizers who approached the Festival Box Office. “Does this represent a change in the Festival’s commitment to womyn-born womyn space? No.” says Vogel. “If a transwoman purchased a ticket, it represents nothing more than that womon choosing to disrespect the stated intention of this Festival.”

While I’m left wondering if a Camp Trans organiser might look like the late John Inman, Carnal Reason has further questions:

Are womyn-born-womyn the same as womon-born-womon? My speculation is the the latter may be the singular of the former, but I’m just guessing. Is transwoman a single one of the trans womyn, or something else? Notice that a transwoman is admitted to be a womon. Perhaps transwoman a mis-spelling of transwomon? What is the difference between a transwoman and trans womyn; does the embedded space mean something?

And what exactly are trans men and trans womyn? Suppose X belongs to the set of trans men. Does that mean that X was born male and switched? Born female and switched? Something else? Are there any trans myn or transmyn? And why are the womyn of color creating space to gather without even mentioning the the myn of color, to say nothing of the transmyn of color?

Imagine a burial service for this bunch of gender-benders. By the time you’d finished at the graveside, it wouldn’t be worth going back:

“Womyn-born-womyn/transwomyn/myn and transmyn that are born or transgendered from womyn-born-womyn and intersex – have but a short time to …arrrrggghh……”