Lesbian-only festival sparks anger

blackice · October 1, 2003, 00:33

Let the extended battle of the sexes begin....:

Quote:

September 30, 2003

A spat has broken out over a bid to exclude anyone other than female-born lesbians from attending or working at a national lesbian festival.

Organisers of Lesfest 2004, to be held at Daylesford in country Victoria, today had an exemption from equal opportunity laws revoked in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Appeals Tribunal (VCAT).

The tribunal decision made earlier this month had allowed organisers to advertise for only female-born lesbians to attend or work at the seven-day conference.

But the exemption was today overturned because the organisers had failed to notify the tribunal about a complaint.

The Australian WOMAN Network (AWN), a transsexual lobby group, had applied to revoke the exemption because the term "female-born" was offensive.

Lesfest spokeswoman Anna Holland-Moore said outside the tribunal there was a difference between lesbians who were raised female and those born male.

She said the homosexual community was diverse and transsexuals had the right to celebrate their own identity.

"It's not about excluding, it's about affirmation of our identity," Ms Holland-Moore said.

"We just wanted a week together to consolidate our culture and discuss relevant issues."

She said organisers were also worried about the effect opening the festival to non-lesbians would have on their women-only ceremonies and workshops.

An internet advertisement for the January festival says it will be held on 60 hectares on which there will be "peaceful bush, big gums and lots of birdlife".

The festival will include political forums, performing arts, healing space, workshops and talking circles.

More than 150 people are expected to attend.

The exemption would have ensured even caterers were lesbians.

Boys aged over eight and non-lesbian girls over 15 were also banned from attending.

AWN co-convenor Karen Gurney said outside the tribunal that the exemption had caused "distress" among the group's members because it failed to recognise transsexuals as medically and legally women.

Lesfest organisers said they were yet to decide if they would reapply for an exemption or "just send out private invitations".

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/...819920476.html

Ok we can golf together we can er meet together,

The next ten years should be interesting. All in the dictorial powers favor but interesting....

Theben · October 1, 2003, 00:39

Quote:

60 hectares of peaceful bush

The real reason they don't want anyone else there.

blackice · October 1, 2003, 00:47

Too true could you blame them? Rod in hand fish in lake no one bitting.

Sprayber · October 1, 2003, 01:05

It's weird when a bunch of left leaning lesbians are accused of being intolerant.

orange · October 1, 2003, 01:58

but it's true. They shouldn't discriminate.

Gatekeeper · October 1, 2003, 02:03

Well, this is something you don't read about everyday. **LOL**

Skanky Burns · October 1, 2003, 02:16

They've offended a transsexual lobby group?

I bet they are quaking in their boots.

Sikander · October 1, 2003, 04:26

An internet advertisement for the January festival says it will be held on 60 hectares on which there will be "peaceful bush, big gums and lots of birdlife".

:0

DanielXY · October 1, 2003, 05:47

Well cant blame them, that they dont want any "tourists" on their meeting...

FrustratedPoet · October 1, 2003, 06:19

Quote:

Originally posted by Sikander
An internet advertisement for the January festival says it will be held on 60 hectares on which there will be "peaceful bush, big gums and lots of birdlife".

:0

David Floyd · October 1, 2003, 07:05

I don't see why private organizations can't exclude whomever they want whenever they want.

Gibsie · October 1, 2003, 07:32

Quote:

Boys aged over eight and non-lesbian girls over 15 were also banned from attending.

I find this somewhat disturbing... shouldn't everyone under the age of 15 be banned anyway?!

Bosh · October 1, 2003, 08:17

there's few things more entertaining than internal queer politics, the repercussions that a handful of transidentified (people what are physically one gender but think of themselves as being a member as the other for whatever reason) people with big mouths had on my campus' queer community was really fun to watch, mostly because transidentification only reinforces gender norms and heteronormativity and all that good stuff

General Ludd · October 1, 2003, 08:26

Quote:

Originally posted by Gibsie

I find this somewhat disturbing... shouldn't everyone under the age of 15 be banned anyway?!

Then what are the mothers to do?

Verres · October 1, 2003, 08:41

How would they ensure all the females there were lesbians?????

Snotty · October 1, 2003, 08:44

Quote:

I find this somewhat disturbing... shouldn't everyone under the age of 15 be banned anyway?!

Its not like the lesbians are actually going to be doing anything raunchy, so its fine for kids to be there.

Az · October 1, 2003, 08:49

Quote:

Originally posted by Verres
How would they ensure all the females there were lesbians?????

take 'the test', of course.

Lorizael · October 1, 2003, 09:34

Quote:

Originally posted by Boshko
...mostly because transidentification only reinforces gender norms and heteronormativity and all that good stuff

Nail on the head. Thank you very much.

Affirm your identity my ass. If everyone's supposed to be equal, why make a big deal about how you're different?

blackice · October 3, 2003, 21:05

Lorizael

I have asked that same question many times.

Chemical Ollie · October 3, 2003, 21:13

Where are the pictures?

Berzerker · October 3, 2003, 21:27

Quote:

The Australian WOMAN Network (AWN), a transsexual lobby group, had applied to revoke the exemption because the term "female-born" was offensive.

Quote:

Lesfest spokeswoman Anna Holland-Moore said outside the tribunal there was a difference between lesbians who were raised female and those born male.

She said the homosexual community was diverse and transsexuals had the right to celebrate their own identity.

"It's not about excluding, it's about affirmation of our identity," Ms Holland-Moore said.

"We just wanted a week together to consolidate our culture and discuss relevant issues."

Nah, they aren't excluding, they're celebrating being different and that requires excluding those who are different in a different way.

I love it!!! Hey, why not all white people get together to celebrate how they are different? Oops...

Chemical Ollie · October 3, 2003, 21:46

Why not form a club for all black jewish conservative lesbian left-handed females with stuttering and breast-cancer? I would be the first to join... (I belong to one of those minority groups. Which one does not really matter does it?)

Berzerker · October 3, 2003, 22:10

Just make sure you tell the folks you exclude you aren't excluding them cuz you are just celebrating your particular culture, blah, blah, blah

Ben Kenobi · October 3, 2003, 22:14

Quote:

Which one does not really matter does it?)

You're conservative?

Chemical Ollie · October 3, 2003, 22:17

Quote:

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi

You're conservative?

In the European sense of the word, Yes. I belong to some of the other minority groups mentioned too.

Ben Kenobi · October 3, 2003, 22:45

Let's try that again.

You have breast-cancer?

Theben · October 4, 2003, 00:12

Quote:

Originally posted by Chemical Ollie
Why not form a club for all black jewish conservative lesbian left-handed females with stuttering and breast-cancer? I would be the first to join... (I belong to one of those minority groups. Which one does not really matter does it?)

I'll pass. Those stutterers usually take an hour to get though the minutes.

chequita guevara · October 4, 2003, 00:30

Quote:

Originally posted by Sprayber
It's weird when a bunch of left leaning lesbians are accused of being intolerant.

This is an old problem, unfortunately. And since when did anyone ever accuse lesbians of being tolerent?

Lorizael · October 4, 2003, 00:42

Phew, thought I'd killed the thread.

Oerdin · October 4, 2003, 00:43

Quote:

Originally posted by David Floyd
I don't see why private organizations can't exclude whomever they want whenever they want.

If it's illegal for whites to exclude blacks or for boy scouts to exclude gays then it should be illegal for dikes to exclude nondikes.

Either that or the government should stop playing social match maker.