[Wamvan] Walking for Rape Relief

[Frieda Werden]

Dear Tami, et al.

I would like to see the battle for trans inclusion fought directly against
the patriarchy, with feminist allies, instead of being fought primarily
against feminist groups, with patriarchal allies. The fact that feminists
are already stigmatized and hated by so many people makes it so easy to
mount a damaging campaign against them - it's like shooting fish in a
barrel.  All kinds of services for women are under daily attack. The very
dailiness of their struggle makes them invisible to media. Violence against
women and their children in their homes, discrimination against immigrant
women who depend on a violent husband for the food for their children, the
roof over their head, their status in the country, all that is just another
dog bites man story. When a trans person or group attacks a feminist
organization - oh, boy!  Girlfight!  The juicy hateful rumours go far and
wide in the media and in the gossip stream, and people have one more reason
to diss feminists and diminish the huge commitment and sacrifice of women
like the ones who volunteer their souls at Rape Relief or at the Vancouver
Women's Health Collective.

Last year, I sat with Jamie Lee Hamilton at a Liberal Party women's event as
she gloated about how even though the Vancouver Women's Health Collective
had, through direct negotiations, changed its policy with respect to opening
the DTES Women's Pharmacy to trans persons, the group "didn't apologize," so
"nobody in the community will support it" and so she believed it wouldn't
survive.  It didn't survive (although the VWH is still trans-inclusive now).

Tami, you are a dedicated grassroots journalist, you are living the
commitment to social change.  Please recognize these traits in your sisters.
even if you don't agree with everything that has gone on. If you want to
negotiate change in feminist organizations, please do it directly, and with
all the patience, reason and respect that are at your command - just please
don't get caught up in the legendary circular firing squads that keep
activists picking off each other.

Yours sincerely,

Frieda

On Mon, May 16, 2011 at 3:48 PM, Tami Starlight <tamistarlight at gmail.com>wrote:

> Terribly offensive!!
>
> Minimize organizational oppression is NOT OK.
>
> http://dawn.thot.net/nixon_v_vrr.html
>
> This is but one example of oppression that continues with many of us -
> including me.
> The idea that organizations are ok because they help women but oppress
> others?
>
> That a select few oppressive types within the organization wish people
> would forget they did that and have that as their policy. Of course, many at
> VRR have no fucking idea - and those in positions of privilege and power
> within the organization like that.
>
> Truth is free but freedom is earned with a lot of vigilance.
> Tami
>
> On Mon, May 16, 2011 at 3:36 PM, Farida Hussain <faridahussain1 at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Hello Peeps, I'm walking to raise money for the Vancouver Rape Relief and
>> Women's Shelter. I know that some of us have trouble with their exclusivity,
>> but the bottom line is that they offer a safe space for women escaping
>> violence. We can't deny that this is a valuable resource.
>>
>> I'm willing to bus/bike out to wherever you are to collect money for my
>> pledge. Just tell me when and where, and I'll be there -  even if it is for
>> a small sum.
>>
>> You can email me separately at faridahussain1 at gmail.com, or use the
>> listserve - both are fine by me. If you have any
>> comments/questions/objections, I want to hear them.
>>
>> Peace,
>> Farida
>>
>>
>> Ps. The walk is on May 29 2011. Info here:
>> http://www.rapereliefshelter.bc.ca/learn/resources/walkathon
>> --
>> *Farida Hussain*
>> Student, Journalist
>> UBC Graduate School of Journalism
>> Phone: 604 649 8619
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>> Wamvan at lists.resist.ca
>> https://lists.resist.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/wamvan
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Meegwetch/Thank you/Merci
> *Tami M. Starlight*
> Vancouver, Canada
> tamistarlight at gmail.com
> tami.cosmic (facebook)
> tami_starlight (twitter)
> 604-200-2445home
> 604-790-9943cell
>
>
>
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>
>


-- 
Frieda Werden, Series Producer
WINGS: Women's International News Gathering Service www.wings.org
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