Thread for things that catch our attention.. I promise I will post happy stuff too... but this first...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/edu ... story.html

Most of us know Virginia is one of the most repressive states in the US right now, but I'd be pissed if I found this in my kid's backpack one day after school.. Click thru to the flyer and the guy from PFOX trying to rationalize his hatred and fear of queer people.. I just shake my head sadly that it takes a formation of a committee to discuss and debate whether this type of external proganda should or should not have a marketing base in the public schools system.

Yay for the teachers who refused to include it.

not wanting to vote on this... but.... me thinks this opens a can of worms we dont want opened on this board. As was written in the post from the office, "we have reshaped these boards to focus on its original intent – love of Michigan, information sharing about the Festival, and the best resource for womyn new to our community."
Adding in a thread about news around the planet does not, in my opinion, really belong here now. If you personally have something to do with it and need to share with other sisters your part in one of the "salon" type threads, like 10 boring... then i say mentioning what is going on in your personal life is a way to become closer to other fest womyn. But just opening a thread about the state of the world is not what we are looking for here. I personally just dont want to open these boards up to impersonal news and blues.

Hi LD, I appreciate your personal and considered response. I hear where you are coming from and am reading and re-reading the statement from the office, and what others are posting, to try and absorb the essence of what is being communicated.

Understandably, everyone has premises behind their words and deeds. For my part, it may not be apparent that I have a personal connection to what happens in VA, but I do have in my philanthropic vision a just and fair world for all families, one that honors and appreciates diversity, while respect the views of others who don't think, feel or believe like I do.

Why bring it here, you may ask, instead of donating my time, money and energy in that field specifically and leaving Fest out of it? Well, like the old thread I created of the same theme, lots happens good and bad in the world. I posted positive news as well, not to be too defensive about it, and don't consider any thing that happens to lesbians as impersonal. And its not all been blue, but celebrations and victories, as well as warnings and losses. It was here that I learned that lesbians single handedly saved so many in Norway. And someone else said here the personal is political, there isn't a way around it. The political fatigue that prompted the move and the sighs of relief by so many already, is personal and telling. But on the other hand, I am exploring the room available here for advocates, warriors and guardians. Not all of us come to fest just to party, or think we have to all get along, oxytocin aside.. :) Though civility and respect are important.

What I am trying to grasp is that the host of this BB doesn't want this board used in any polarizing way..and to test around some of what this means and doesn't mean, so thanks for your patience. I've been invited to join other Fest groups, like FB, but I like it here and I don't like it there, but I recognize and respect this isn't my personal playground and I need to assimilate to the best of my ability.

I've begun to ramble now, but do appreciate the ability to process this somewhat with the community here. I have always respected how fest handles conflict, and its not ever expedient. I am sure it's with a lot of thought that this change came.

Just wanted to clarify for those unfamiliar with the area:

The article states that PFOX is a Virginia based organization, but the fliers being discussed were distributed in Montgomery County, Maryland. The article also lists the varying flier policies in Arlington and Loudoun counties. Those two counties are in Virginia.

I have family in that county, so that too is personal to me, and no, they are not exactly accepting of my Lesbianism. Not rightwingers, but nonetheless an immediate family member who has no contact with me, and I know a large part of it is because I'm an out radical Butch Lesbian.

By the way, the thing I LIKE about Michfest is the controversy, the news(not the personal attacks upon Fest members and policies)and I have learned things on this bulletin board and it's discussions that I see NOWHERE'S ELSE online...because this group is made up of intelligent, thoughtful women, many who are strong Dykes who really have a sense of lived REALTIME community, and care about what goes on the world that affects women and Dykes and the community of MIchfest as a whole.....and yes, 'the personal is political'.
-M.A.

M.A. and others....
I agree that the personal is political. I believe just being a lesbian makes me political as well... however, we are trying to keep politics off of this board unless it is simply a personal statement from the writer. Not threads. They have in the past opened the doors to the more toxic discussions that have no place here anymore. There are groups on Facebook that keep the political alive and I believe the new guidelines are asking that all that want to communicate in political threads use the other venues available to us out there. If you are not aware of the groups that have evolved on Facebook, I am sure i could get you some urls to check out. or others could chime in here.
Lets keep this board going with the spirit of fest and try to avoid slippery slopes. Please read the announcement A Message About the New BB - Please Read Before Posting

This message was written by ME, Barbara, and is in no way intended to sound like, or appear to be a message from the office of WWTMC. When i write in that capacity I am always clear to state that they have asked me to put out a message and of late, I have done so in the announcements up top.

my personal POV .... there's been enough controversy and news to last us a good long time.

how about peaceful space in which to heal and share?

and yes, I mean on the bb here as well as on the Land.

Maybe you could put up a thread LucilleDesign for all the other websites/Facebook groups you're talking about...that too would be helpful. I do understand what you're trying to do with your intention, and I am aligning my intention to bring me to Michfest this year, for mental, emotional, spiritual healing and connection with other Dykes and DykeAmazons!
-MasterAmazon

here are a few site you can use for this...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Michfest2011andbeyond/
Michfest 2012
This group is for conversations around getting to Fest 2012. We are looking to help as many folks go as want to be there so add folks to this group who might be looking for rides who are new to Fest and need encouragement/advise.


https://www.facebook.com/groups/2316242015/
Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival Crew
If you've volunteered on CREW at MichFest join here! Pass on the word.


https://www.facebook.com/groups/Michfes ... 2406112728
Womyn Michfest
This page was created to provide womyn that support festival AND its intent for WBW space to let their voices be heard. Feel free to post your thoughts and ideas for non-confrontational and respectful support of the festival. Friend us and show the festival how many womyn support their efforts to create and maintain healing space for wbw. The festival needs to know that we support the intention of fest. This is not a place for debate or contention. If you are committed to trans inclusion at fest, I ask you to continue your work on a public page/forum.

Sponsorship is required for new friends of this page.


https://www.facebook.com/groups/Michfes ... 5359236020
Michfest
No Description


Search Facebook for Lesbian Caucus
http://groups.google.com/group/lesbian-caucus
Lesbian Caucus
We established this group following the first ever Lesbian Caucus at the 24th annual Creating Change Conference. This group will allow discussion of lesbian issues vis-a-vis Creating Change and its host organization, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

:)

can we maybe remove the secret group from that list? at least until there's permission from the Admins?

Just FYI, the Lesbian Caucus FB group has a fair number of festies as members but is actually devoted to reclaiming visibility at the LGBT Creating Change conferences. Lively feminist and lesbian-centric conversations.

Let's also add the group I started ...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MichFest/
This FaceBook group is for womyn who have attended fest recently or in the past or are considering coming to fest.
We welcome enthusiastic respectful discourse and have few rules.

1. We expect the intention of festival (wbw space) to be adhered to in this space also.
2. We hold the intention of respectful dialogue. Name calling or personal insults will not be tolerated.
3. We hold the intention of moderate (as opposed to radical) moderation.
4. We hold the intention of transparency in the group's goals and leadership.
5. If someone disrespects these intentions, a moderator will discuss it privately with that person and not simply disappear them from the group.
6. If you are uncomfortable with any conversation happening in this group, you have the option lessen your discomfort by not reading it. Please respect the needs of those who are having the discussion by not trying to derail or minimize it.

In effort to increase personal responsibility for our voices, moderators will not approve membership to people with obviously fake facebook names unless one of us happens to know the person in real life and there's a genuine reason for a pseudonym.

These guidelines can be changed at any time by our moderators and if/when that happens, an announcement will be posted.

Following is a link to a petition that I think will be of interest to all my Michfest sisters:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/917/570/ ... -autonomy/

We do have that, One-BEin!! It's called One World and the Community Center. There are tables for flyering and world info at One World. You will love it! Advertising is, by general consensus, restricted to the Port-a-toilets.

That is definitely a place for News from Around the Planet for my sisters to know about !! I first learned about hydrolyic fracking there.

Rest in Peace, Adrienne, thanks for the vision!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/29/books ... ss&emc=rss