"Violence Against Lesbians at Sisterfire" Author(S): Lin Daniels and Myriam Fougere Source: Off Our Backs, Vol

"Violence Against Lesbians at Sisterfire" Author(s): lin daniels and myriam fougere Source: Off Our Backs, Vol. 17, No. 9, Looking forward to the future: Feminist science fiction (october 1987), pp. 24-25 Published by: off our backs, inc. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25795904 Accessed: 23-06-2017 15:13 UTC

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"Violence Against Lesbians at

On June 28, 1987, at the We were asked about what we did to" The organizers, at that point, were izing committee. She admonished Sisterfire festival held in Upper "provoke" his violence. We were not sure as to how they would pro them for making the inflammatory Marlboro, Maryland, there was a called "racist" for denying this ceed in that regard. The meeting remarks against us. Upon the violent incident between two white black man access to the booth. We was to be reconvened the next morn organizer's exit, the craftswomyn lesbian vendors and two black gay were told that just asking this man ing, after the organizers made their met to decide what to do. male volunteers, "Violence Against to move on, however politely, was decision. Since we were told by the or Lesbians at Sisterfire" was sub violence, and that he responded to Approximately 50 womyn began the ganizers that if we continued to mitted by the two women involved, violence with violence. We were meeting that next morning, and as deny access to menjge would have Lin Daniels and Myriam Fougere. told that Myriam had no right to it progressed, at least 200 womyn to close, we did not deny access. Their article was given to Roadwork, deny men access to her work at were assembled. We were then told Instead, an amazon guard of crafts whose response follows. Sisterfire. We were asked to by the organizers that the man womyn was formed to apprise men clear out and accept a refund on would be allowed back on the site, interested in viewing our booth of the space. We were told that the that they considered that violence the fact that it was womyn only On June 27, 1987, we were phys man might be allowed back on the took place"on both parts" (our de space. ically attacked by a man at our site the next day. We were told nial of access, in their language, It was inspiring. Womyn who booth at Sisterfire. In short, bv a festival organizer, that from constituted violence), and that hadn't agreed on anything in years Myriam (a lesbian sculptor), her personal point of view, Myriam's they would not ban this man, their were united behind this issue. We and I were selling her work at work is beautiful, but that it is employee , from the site. When had the support of Black womyn, a booth at Sisterfire's Market not appropriate for Sisterfire be the womyn demanded that Sisterfire Hispanic womyn, White womyn, Asian place. Myriam shows her work cause there are families walking release the names of the violent womyn, Jewish womyn. Many issues to womyn. around, including men and children, men, we were told that we were were raised to cloud the issue, We opened our booth after and perhaps her work would be bet conducting a "witch hunt", that we but the womyn recognized that the having to be moved from a site ter suited to Michigan. We were sounded like a "lynch mob", and primary issue was men's violence surrounded by male vendors, to a told, in essence, that by virtue that they were not going to give against womyn, and they took power place surrounded by womyn. We of our lesbian separatist politics, in to that kind of mentality. What to protect us in our choice to happily opened our booth to womyn. show Myriam's work to womyn. We informed men who wished to We had an amazon watch the en view her work that "Myriam shows tire day. One woman who came with her work to womyn, she gets her her daughter was forced to send inspiration from womyn, and she her home. Her daughter witnessed does not choose to show her work the assault. She 1s a 15 year old to men." For the most part, this black child who was raped two worked well. months ago. Seeing us being at One man, however, later in the tacked by a man and not protected afternoon, did not like being in a place she considered safe was denied access to womyn's space. too much for her to take, and so After having had two explanations she left. Her mother stayed, from Myriam about her politics, he though. We opened' our booth at left. Five minutes later, he 11:00 and stayed open until 7:00 came back with a very tall male and that child's mother didn't friend, and demanded further ex leave our side the entire day. planations. She explained again. In her own words: He then threatened us, called "I couldn't prevent my daugh Myriam a "bitch", told her that he ter from being raped, and I "didn't like her attitude", and couldn't prevent what happen told her that he would stay there ed to you yesterday, but I as long as she did. He said, "move me". cannot and will not allow any further violence to you today." I then sought a security guard. Other acts of solidarity were When she arrived at the booth, also taking place. Since the or she demanded to hear "both" sides ganizers refused to announce what before removing him. I demanded happened, on any stage, and refused that she first remove him, at to warn womyn that these violent which point he reached over "se men were in their midst, five curity's" shoulder, and hit me in womyn took the responsibility of the face. I attempted to defend forming groups of 2 - 12 womyn, myself and was held back by two ALL DAY, to tell them what craftswomyn. Myriam then at occurred. The craftswomyn put tempted to defend me, and was held signs on their booths which back by two more craftswomyn. He simply stated, "We do not con then went past the "security" done violence against womyn at woman, and proceeded to grab Sisterfire", to elicit questions, Myriam's throat. He let go only and the individual craftswomyn when he noticed more and more would retell the story to every womyn coming to the scene. No at womon who asked. tempt was made by the "security" What followed this violence was woman to defend us. The crafts a feminist, political, empowering womyn, at that point, acted as action. Lesbians, straight womyn, "security", standing between us we did not belong at Sisterfire, an insulting reversal of meaning! and womyn of all racial back and the men, trying to contain "But that if we chose to remain, Is it really necessary to remind grounds united to protest this bla the situation, while "security" we would be allowed to stay, after the womyn of Sisterfire that tant indulgence of men's violence was frantically caucusing with we closed the booth. "witch hunts" were conducted by against womyn. We were moved by other Sister?sparks, wondering While Myriam and I met with men for the mass extermination of what to do. the solidarity. At least 10 Sisterfire organizers, many of the womyn? One would think by now Sisterfire workers and volunteers This went on for at least one craftswomyn who witnessed the that it is common knowledge among came to us and offered their sup hour. It took over an hour for the assault organized a meeting of womyn that it is important to name their own to decide what action to an aggressor when he goes free, port, and told us that they did organizers of Sisterfire to remove not agree with Sisterfire's one man from a place in which he take. They were outraged at the unpunished for his violence assault, and were concerned for handling of the situation, and assaulted 2 lesbians, in full view against womyn. vowed never to return, as did of at least 20 womyn. It was their own safety. Myriam and I After sitting through the ordeal horrific. were just able to catch the end of having inflammatory statements many of the craftswomyn and What followed was even more flailed at us by the organizers, participants. of that meeting, along with the We have legal recourse horrific. Myriam and I were inter organizers. Some thought that after receiving personal attacks on our politics, being called "hys against the organizers of Sister rogated by Sisterfire Coordinators. the craftswomyn should leave, fire. Our rights were severely We were asked about our politics. en masse, in protest--if the man terical females", by the "Security" were allowed back on the site. Organizer, the craftswomyn1s meet violated, their staff were acces

page 24/october 1987/off our backs

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womon's 6'xlO* booth in a "women's sories to an assault. We were ial position with them! The orga cultural festival," in a man's denied our right to know who this nizers protected these men and asked us to consider "their feel world is violence and was justi man, their employee was. They fiably countered by his physical failed to protect us at their ings." We have become "suspect," while these men continue to go assault, is complete and utter festival, and by allowing these nonsense. It is dangerous, dis violent men access to the site unpunished, and can even continue torted and just plain wrong. after the incident, they thereby to work for Sisterfire. We were The continuance of their ana made to feel like "outsiders" who took a stand to condone their lysis insures womyn of their lack violence. They have even taken have no right to be in a place of safety at Sisterfire. If a to blatantly lying about the as predominantly (85% at least) sup man, as in our case, just "doesn't sault. But our fight is not with ported by lesbians, while bat like our attitude," Sisterfire the womyn of Sisterfire, no matter tering men are welcomed with open will justify his attack, let him how wrong we feel they were. arms, and protected by those arms. hide behind the guise of racism, I, Myriam, am a lesbian who They obviously have organiza ageism, or any ism they can think tional problems - the organizers creates sculpture for lesbians. I want my work to flow back to the of to justify the violence which continually contradicted them emanates from his prick, and selves on some very key issues source of its inspiration. I be lieve in Lesbian culture in the change the meaning of violence to suit themselves. I am using making. It has nothing to do with men. If I were to show my work to the word "prick," not as an "ob men, I would not be doing what I scenity" as pointed out by Sister am doing. I really believe that fire organizers, but to emphasize we limit ourselves, our art, if the fact that his violence stems of men riding their horses direct we have to take men's vision into from his maleness, not from any ly around the womyn's tent area, calling their horses "whores, consideration. where else. They (the organisers) said bitches," etc. While waiting for Some craftswomyn told me that the two showers afforded to hun there are some items that they did at the meeting of craftswomyn that not choose to sell at Sisterfire they are in the throes of changing dreds of womyn, womyn had to put their policies to allow more men up with verbal assaults from hos because they are not "for men's into the process, to have them tile men, who objected to the fact eyes." Well, I don't have anything for men's eyes. Does it mean that perform, and allow more craftsmen. that they had to use another bath I should be barred from showing my Next year, before they send out room for two days. Again, no work to womyn whom I might not their publicity, it would be help "Security." They were busy, it in the presence of at least two otherwise reach? At Sisterfire, ful if they didn't misrepresent seems, going through the crowds hundred women who attended the themselves as a women's cultural of womyn, telling them to "cover men are allowed to view "womyn's event. Their literature is mis craftswomyn meeting on the Sunday culture" on three stages, and in that up" if their shirts were off leading, and their name is funda or undone, in 95 degree tempera morning after the assault. It is approximately 150 booths. Why do up to them to solve those problems. mentally inaccurate. Perhaps "Mis tures. This was done, presumably, That is not our concern. We are Sisterfire organizers refuse to terfire" could be considered as a not to "provoke" men to rape them. not into tearing down their insti acknowledge that perhaps it is suitable alternative. Men seem to Some men, however, just like every tutions, as lesbophobic as we found necessary to keep some of that cul have free rein there, and enjoy where else, were walking around it to be. ture, which they purport to cele even more privilege than they do shirtless. We found the lack of Our enemies are not womyn. brate, for ourselves, and accept in the "fake" world. At Sister consciousness of basic womyn's that there are some womyn who have fire, they can attack womyn and issues astounding. Since the assault, though, we no desire to share their life's have both been walking around in be rewarded for it. If the intent of Sisterfire is a state of disbelief. It seems work with those whom they consider This man attacked us because to share womyn's culture with men, their enemy. we are lesbians. He attacked us as though all that we had learned then let us not dilute that cul as womyn in regard to that very Womyn's oppression does not because we asserted our right to ture to the point where even the end, magically, because some womyn show Myriam's work to womyn. He primary issue of violence against primary issue of violence, has choose to work in "coalition" with been dashed by womyn who should assaulted us because men have yet womyn is put into question. If men know better. Myriam and I have some men. Within womyn's culture, to learn that there are some have the privilege (and Sisterfire worked in rape crisis centers there is (albeit sparse!) womyn places where even they can't go. is the only "women's" festival and battered womyn shelters. The only space. If this festival is He attacked us for the same that affords that privilege to very first thing that one has to to be a celebration of womyn's reason that men attack womyn every them) of "sharing" womyn's culture, come to terms with in that context culture, then womyn who work to day ? because he wasn't getting then, in the words of a womon who is that there is no justifiable create that culture must not be his own way. voiced her opinion about the at provocation for violence. One does made to feel ostracized. That is Other things took place at Sis tack to the organizers, they must not ask a womon who has been a contradiction to its (supposed) terfire which we find unacceptable. at least learn to behave. beaten or raped about her politics, intent. We opened our booth to A band of boys pelted the womyn's what she was wearing, what her womyn, and were made to feel like tent area with eggs on Saturday Tin daniels and myriam fougere "attitude" was, or what she did to we didn't belong. It was ludicrous. night. No security in sight. We provoke him. tven straight Taw We know men to be our common woke up each morning to the sound enemy. Men rape, attack, kill wo agencies have learned that much. Sisterfire asked us to close our myn every day, regardless of their booth, and allowed these men racial background, and there is access to the site after their evidence to indicate that unless womyn stop them, they will anni assault. We have been chastised hilate us all. They have no res for our politics and made to feel pect for us, our space, and they that by virtue of our lesbian have proven that one more time. separatism, we do not belong in We didn't need this assault, how their "celebration of women ar ever, to emphasize that we are at tists". What message are these war. actions conveying to men? We live in New York City, one Some womyn at Sisterfire are of the biggest centers of the pa blaming themselves for not triarchy, yet we manage to live being clear with us that we had there according to our principles, no right towomyn's space at usually without being physically their festival. This is yet assaulted by men. If we were another example of womyn blaming attacked there, though, we would themselves for men's violence. have recourse against our attac Our only allegiance is to womyn, kers, even by their laws. but because a man assaulted us at Sisterfire's "newspeak," the their festival, the organizers of proposition that even peaceful Sisterfire have identified with denial of access to men from one this man and put us in an adversar

off our back s/october 1987/page 25

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