Sept. 12-15: Join Trans & Women Organizers on the Plateau

TWOP-long-photo

*UPDATED POST FROM TRANS & CIS EVENT ORGANIZERS*

Trans and/or Women Organizers on the Plateau gathering is happening this weekend (September 12-15, 2014) in The Book Cliffs of Eastern “Utah,” occupied Ute territory.

RSVP by emailing tarsandsresist@riseup.net (for carpooling, directions to campsite, food, ect.)

The transgender and women folk of this resistance and this region would like to hold a separate camp in solidarity with *Utah Tar Sands Resistance, and host events and action camps which are welcoming and available to those living within constant experience & oppression of patriarchy. We are very inspired by the work of the TWAC collective over recent years, from whom we’ve learned so much. Some of us have been to TWAC in the past, while others haven’t so we are still learning, working on language and organizing. We appreciate any folks with more experience doing TWACs to come and/or offer any input, advice, critique, ect.

We are a grassroots collective, and need organizers, guidance, and to come together in safer space to put the cards we do have on the table.

We are holding a decentralized gathering of Trans and/or Women folk in the region to share skills, build community with each other, and see what forms of action we can take together to STOP the strip-mining of tar sands and the congruent decimation of Forests, Waterways, and the Air we breathe.

This weekend, bring all your skills and thoughts! We cannot stress enough the importance of sharing skills of survival and resistance at every opportunity. This is a space for that. We would like to see workshops in tree climbing, blockades, resistance psychology, communication, healing, herbcraft, woodcraft, conflict transformation, first aid, self-defense (physical, social, and psychological), security, and organization. Bring what you know! We’ll be making a schedule ad-hoc, on the ground.

One main point of discussion will be holding a southwest regional TWAC in Spring 2015.

Possible topics for discussion include:
-Language (the spelling of Womyn vs Women and consequent implications).
Anticolonial Resistance, Cultural Reclamation, Indigenous Solidarity
-Transphobia/mysoginy/support (sisters, not just cis-ters)
-Consent

We are embracing the Trans Inclusivity Statement used by TWAC organizers this year:

“TWAC is an action camp that intends to be a welcoming and safer space for all folks who identify as women, transsexual, transgender, gender-variant, and genderqueer. Cisgender (non-trans) men are not invited to attend camp. As organizers, we recognize that transphobia, cissexism, and transmisogyny pervade both mainstream society and radical movements for social and environmental justice. We are united in our commitment to confronting transphobia and cissexism and are determined to foster a respectful and comfortable space for all people attending TWAC. Anyone displaying transphobic and/or transmisogynist behaviors, speech, or attitudes will be asked to significantly change or address their actions, and may be asked to leave if necessary.”

*This year, Utah Tar Sands Resistance along with other organizations and individuals have been holding a permanent protest vigil near the first tar sands strip-mine in this country against US Oil Sands, a corporation from Canada. This is a permanent vigil, open to all who are down with the cause. Email tarsandsresist@riseup.net for more information.