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Page 3 Alabama Forum October 1988

OUR TURN

A Mix of
Womyn's Cultures
by A.F.L.

[Photo of person]

A Mix of Womyn's Cultures
by A.F.L.

How many of you have read in "Dykes to Watch
Out For" about the Michigan Womyn's Music
Festival? If not, check it out for I won't write like
that in this rumor-packed article.

For those not in the know, this gathering of wom-
yn is the Grandmother of womyn only music fes-
tivals in the U.S. Held on private property in a
rudel setting (primative camping, fashion victims)
it offers a space for womyn to gather and enjoy
days of music, workshops and arts and crafts in a
city of only females (the exceptions to the rule are
small male children and the men who clean out
the port-o-Janes late at night).

All types of womyn being gathering at the festival
site in early August to clean areas and erect struc-
tures until the masse swell in number festie week
to around 8,000. Imagine the fun acting out your
favorite Amazon fantasy dressed any way you
choose without fear - I tell you, I saw more
gapped up hair than I thought could exist (I often
wondered what these womyn did "out there" for
jobs with hair like that), working side by side with
long-haired godesses, each trying as best she
could to understand why the other would wear
their hair that way.

Unlike citics "out there", this tent city did not
have police or security. Instead it had the "Com-
munications Crew". those brave souls (myself
part of) who watched the gates to prevent uninvit-
ed visitors from invading the land. This gave all
of US "virgins" first hand knowledge of male
anatomy as it dangled from speeding cars, and
current tunes of "hate and kill" that the locals sang
to us on Saturday night.

Being on Communications Crew, we got to medi-
atc womyn angered by long lines before opening
time or furious festic-goers who could not under-
stand why an area is restricted. These moments of
conflict alerted me to the idea we have indeed be-
come more like the "male population" than many
of us care to admit.

Being on Communications Crew, we gof to medi-
atc womyn angered by long lines before opening
time or furious festic-goers who could not under-
stand why an area is restricted. These moments of
conflict alerted me to the idea we have indeed be-
come more like the "male population" than many
of us care to admit.

We were told in one of our many meetings that
this festival was placing emphasis on "isms" in
our society - yet for all our efforts to be aware of
what was already a part of our vocabulary, we
seemed to work extra hard to add a few of our
own to the list.

For womyn, it was OK to hate males (including
children?), but how horrible for the locals to hate
the "Camp of Lizzards". The Separatist womyn
had every right to demand all males t0 be re-
moved from the land yet straight womyn or wom-

yn discovering new forms of sexuality were 10
keep quict. Those of us supporting the healing of
men, as well as womyn, were ostricized from
most circles, save the Native American rituals.
could never accept that healing was for womyn
only, s0 soon joined the ranks of those "men
lovers".

Some of the festie goers got s0 entured over hid-
den racisms in our culture that womyn were
ganged up on to force them to admit to their
racism. Saving tactics, if ever confronted with
this, is to remember that you never know what
you truly believe until faced with defending it.
And for you separatists reading this, I must say
that there are a few things that you cannot help,
i.e.: your home state, your family, the color of
your skin and your water works. You can help
your attitude, even if it takes a lot of work and
healing.

To tell you the truth, I was humor impared most
of the 18 days I was there I felt that most of the
womyn suffered from some type of P.M.S. and
were "lookin" for an excuse to jump your politics.
Yet I will go back and encourage all womyn to at-
tend as many of these events as possible. My rea-
sons are simple for such an endorsement. It is on-
ly through exposure to others' culture that we can
pick and choose what will heal us as a whole.
Southem womyn are & protected sort, but through
understanding others (even those with weird hair)
and sharing our lives, we are able to build a more
healing, nurturing culture of womyn, for womyn
and all the others who are out there.

Kathleen Mary Johnson
Attorney At Law

3600 Clairmont Ave.
Birmingham, Alabama 35205
Phone 328-1665

The Crowning Touch
Steak&Egg
Kitchen
1717 10th Ave. So.

You are invited to meet
Randy Shilts
Author of
And the Band Played On
At a cocktail reception to benefit
Birmingham AIDS Outreach
Monday, October 17th, 1988
From 530 until 730 PM
at
The Harbert Center
2019 4th Ave. North
Cash Bar Hors d'oervres

Ticket Information: Tickets 02500 Advance
Billy Cox 324-7613 $35.00 at the Door

MABEL'S
ANNUAL
CHAIN - SAW
MASSACRE!!
________________
Monday Oct. 31st
________________
OVER $500 IN
PRIZES
________________
The Party Starts at 9PM
$2.00 Cover!
For Members and
Non - Members!
________________
BRING YOUR OWN
JACK-O-LANTERN !
BE CREATIVE !
1ST-2ND-3RD PRIZES
ENTRIES MUST BE IN BY 9PM!!
_____________________
PRIZES FOR COSTUMES!
BEST COUPLE 10PM $50.00
BEST MALE COSTUME 11PM $50.00
BEST FEMALE COSTUME 12PM $50.00
BEST FANTASY COSTUME 1AM $50.00
BEST OVERALL COSTUME 2AM $200.00
JUDGING IS BY AUDIENCE RESPONSE!

MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE
MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE
______________________________
PRIZES!
______________________________
Drawing for Door Prize at 3AM !
______________________________

Mabel's Halloween
Weekend
Friday-Saturday-Sunday
$100.00 Prize Each Night
For Best Costume!
Judged by Audience Applause
-------------------------------------------
MABEL'S BEAUTY SHOP AND
CHAIN SAW REPAIR
BIRMINGHAM'S FUNNEST BAR!
--------------------------------------------
Our Parking is Patrolled by
Birmingham Police Department