The composition of the Michigan community is changing. Although Michigan is a private festival, it exists because of the 6 thousand women who attend every year. Going to Michigan is NOT the same as invading someone’s house, because the festival belongs to every woman who attends. And a very large number of women born women who go to the festival have no problem allowing all self defined “women” to come. You can not control the political opinions of women born women attending.

I don't care if there are some trans women who would decide not to come to Michigan. I know trans people who DO want to come, and would pose no threat to anybody there. I also know many, many women born women who have no problem with allowing all sorts of women to come to the fest, as long as they define themselves as women.

Michigan isn't a living history museum. Michigan shouldn't be some supposed utopia for some women that is created at the emotional and organizational expense of other women. If this debate were really just about one little week in the woods, we wouldn't be getting so livid about the WBW policy, now would we?

Some people on this board are open minded only the extent that it will alleviate their own oppression. How can you advocate for women’s and/or lesbian rights, but then marginalize the trans community, because being trans has never been a problem for you personally? A majority of the analyses of “sex”, “gender”, and “social construction” on this board stop short of encouraging any self-critique. Get over yourselves, and get over your theoretical frigidity and argumentative penis envy.

That said, I think a number of the people on this board are downright mean.

And don't talk about members of strap-on.org as if they comprise a single entity. The board has more than a thousand members, each with their own opinions and experiences. Please do not quote some of the ruder opinions of some members of strap-on as if their rudeness invalidates their points of view. Because people on this board treat one another horribly at times. Don't spit in the wind if it will end up in your face.

Brenda, I really admire you for continuing to post on this board. Although I disagree with the premise of granting transgendered persons rights on the premise that they were born in the wrong body, your input is always valuable. You define yourself as a woman, Brenda; I accept any person who defines themselves as a woman into the Michigan community (or my little corner of it, anyway). For all intents and purposes, I welcome you into the MWMF community, both in Michigan and in cyberspace.