Words like community, connection, amazon warrior, are the buzz words for my sapphic sisters, they insight a feeling that mirror balls, poppers and whistles evoked in the Disco set of the late 70’s and that the 2nd amendment, 8 pointers, AR 15’s evoke in a die hard NRA supporter. In fact these buzz words have led thousands of lesbians to load up their camping gear and solar showers and go on a pilgrimage for a week in August to the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival. An annual institution celebrating my nymph like lesbian sisters in the woods celebrating their womynly self. Musical stages, mosh pits, workshops, fun & learning for Womyn of all ages, abilities and ethnicities. Freedom to be bare little or a lot or not at all but certainly freedom to be yourself… or maybe be whoever you want to be as long as that person carries a couple of X chromosomes.

Upon hearing the news that The Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival is shuddering its trees I was having a maybe cynical conversation with some friends about how my friend Matt, using me as a front “myn” could take over the legendary camping extravaganza and maybe move it to NYC. Manhattan Womyn’s Music Festival sponsored by Bra Tenders and Cover Girl for today’s lesbian. Special booths set up by Lulu Lemon so when you go to your “Queer Yoga, Sacred Bodies, Sacred Land” Intensive you feel properly clad, Bliss offering back to nature spa treatments, Henkel sponsoring “Amazon Knife and Tomahawk” incentives, #MyStringBling, offering a new way to adorn you tampon string. Performances by Patti LuPone, who might appreciate and audience of naked womyn with no place to smuggle in noisy candy wrappers, Rock-n-Roll as performed by all the back up singers from your favorite male rock singers, Ellen DeGeneres and Rosie O’Donnell could teach intensives on “landing a hot model girlfriend” (someone else could do the part about keeping them) and “Crafting” with Martha Stewart and “Entrepreneurship and beyond” taught by Oprah Winfrey (with the knowledge that Martha & Oprah would have to honorary lesbian since they are not…) The blasphemy of stereotypical Sisterhood went on and on.

So then I went into researching the MWMF, aka Michfest for this blog and I was humbled by the event and its simplicity of choice. Go to Michfest and be safe to express, explore and enjoy being a female born individual.  Someone else has fought the fight and broke down the barriers, been the bad guy keeping the Y chromosome far away so you can go and be among them. They have taken criticism in an ever-changing world to keep life simple and free and promote endless amounts of amazing female musicians. So instead of sending up this event, I would like to celebrate it. Not for everyone, true that, I myself have  way too many issues with camping to ever truly enjoy these back to the earth celebrations. I would like to celebrate an event that has stood the test of time and lets die hard dykes join hands with the children of my two moms and everyone feels safe and happy. I marvel at the “Sheros” that protect this institution of being queer and proud in a time when we are forced to assimilate in our work place filled with designer bags and bikini waxing. These are womyn and girls that are celebrating community just how they want to. I for one will not see you at Michfest, but I will dream about that week in August when so many women will converge on that land in Michigan for the very last time.

Have a great trip you Warriors! May the moon in your house be blessed by your Goddess of choice.