Michigan Womens Festival

Alice Kalafarski, a post-transition women who attended the Michigan Women Music Festival recently, wrote about her experience there to which there are a lot of responses, one which I wrote below.

Response posted.-- Interesting and thank you. I don't consider post-transition (physically and legally female) trans anything, so why genetic women do is beyond me. There are some women who aren't physically 100% women (intersexed or lacking full reproductive system) but they're not excluded, so why post-transition women, calling them men? Ok, it's rhetorical before you answer.

But I would ask if they would reject a post-transition women who doesn't pass or pass enough for their standards? Or do they reject male-looking genetic women too? God knows there are some. How would they know the difference? While I'm glad you had a good time and note they do allow "passable" post-transition women, what does that say about them and maybe you? Does attending such an event mean you condone them, meaning the organizers, and the discrimination of non-passing post-transition women? Ok, again rhetorical, but it does smack of similar discrimination within the transcommunity about public acceptance. Aren't you and the others just adding to it? And then writing how cool it was? And folks wonder why the angry from the transcommunity about this event and post-transition women who attend?

Please note, these are questions not opinions. Personally I applaud you attending, for the fun and maybe change some hearts and minds(?), but I can't necessary applaud being privately vocal and publically silent. How are they going to see the stupidity of their discrimination if you and others don't speak out when you're there? If you fear being expelled, so what? Is that such a high price for showing the fallacy of their discrimination? What would they have done had you spoken out on stage? And that would hurt you how? Take away the fun? And what of the hurt from the names and insinuations about you and all post-transition women?

Further thoughts.-- I would only add more of the last paragraph in that I think changing things from the inside helps but those who do need to be mindful of being on the "inside" and the perspective of those outside about and to them. There are many "passable" (and some beautiful) post-transition women who wouldn't attend for the hate toward transwomen (being both in and post transition), for good reason.

To take it to the extreme, would a black person try to change the KKK by being passable for a "white" person and join them? And what would they accomplish? Yes, an obvious extreme example really not since passing is passing. Why do gay Republicans have problems working inside the Republican party for change and end up simply becoming outsiders when they're ignored, and often worse, exploited as the enemy?

Her article is appropriate to make the point of the festival organizers' discrimination. But I can't applaud she made it after she left and returned home, and not when she was there. You change the hearts and minds of people when you're standing in front of them, not when you're gone, back in the comfort of home to make the point you should have done then and there.

Words after the fact aren't heeded by those who most need them. They will not read your words or listen to your speeches later, for they know not to care.

Followup.-- Someone replied to my comment to which I replied to them to clarify any confusion in my post. I'll left it to readers to judge for themselves, but I do have one comment not including in that one, and that's the misunderstanding some younger ( under 30) transwomen have toward other transwomen.

Younger transwomen tend to transition quickly, often less than two years from start to finish including surgery (SRS), usually in Thailand because it's relatively cheap (<$8-10K including trip expenses) and good. Good luck if you have problems and some states now don't recognize these for birth certificate changes, requiring US-certified surgeons.

I can't argue against them as they want to change and get on with their life. Only those who can't afford the upfront cost of SRS delay the completion of their transition but they life as women. They can because the vast majority of them are moderately to easily passable with just hormones. Their face and body changes relatively quickly to be feminine, in part because the use and tolerate higher dosages, and they can get on with their life until they can complete the transition.

They often then treat all transwomen like them, meaning if you can't transition quickly and in effect almost effortlessly (not really but with far less social, professional and health problems) then you're not a true transwoman. And they often decide to simply leave the transcommunity to integrate into mainstream life. Some stay to become spokeswomen but, like Alice, they tend to be vocal for the wrong reasons.

They can't seem to understand a 40-year old and more so a 50-60-year old transwomen aren't like them and don't have it so easy. And why I applaud younger transwomen like Alice I can't applaud their attitude or judgements about other transwomen. They need to see the bigger picture for all transwomen, but sadly few do, which is why the division persist and will persist in the transcommunity.