Bites On A Dogs Stomach

LesBiTrans Feminist Encounter 2012 - Public Statement

All voices, all shapes,

all bodies, all practices.

From various places in Latin America and the Caribbean, we, some of the organizations and individuals participating in the VIII ELFLAC, we make public our collective thinking about it, and the future of our movements in the region.

First, we assert the centrality of women in the diversity we have had, have and continue taking practical and theoretical development of feminist movements in our region and the world. From this, highlight the importance of the existence of opportunities to share our experiences of struggle and critically recognize its impact on the transformation of our patriarchal societies, marked by violence and capitalist exploitation.

On this basis, from a feminist view, we see as strategic and absolutely necessary to build these spaces on the shaft of the meeting and recognition of diversity in all its senses.

And

we believe in the collective construction of areas where access is not marked by biologicist or essentialism of any kind and where the "discourse of assembly" is neither the only nor the main form of communication, but we challenged our political bodies with its affections and feelings more diverse, in a range of languages \u200b\u200bthat reflect the vast interacting forms of transformation that we rehearse and deepen every day in our areas of feminist activism.

In turn, we propose that instead of "quarters own" closed and immutable, these meeting places can be huge gardens proliferate joints between different, and no exclusions.

THE ELFLAC VIII, a space of tension

The VIII meeting was characterized as a space crossed by multiple symbolic violence, where the disqualification was imposed as a hegemonic strategy of debate. In the plenary lived an aggressive environment, which included accusations and insults to colleagues, labeling them as the enemy.

confrontational The disqualification is not the place from which we find ourselves. We prefer dialogue to consecutive monologues, we prefer to learn from each other, our differences, our similarities, but always with respect.

For all these reasons that we live in deep pain ELFLAC VIII, finding no areas where we felt we actually owned. This past meeting, held in Guatemala City during the month of October, was marked by steadily discuss what are those factors that determine exclusions, when many of us we wanted to identify factors that invite inclusion.

In that train, the discussions yielded no ELFLAC a consensus to open the doors of the meeting to feminist lesbian transgender friends, for there and not give those who believe that the genital or non-binary gender expression is a barrier to join the space, thus preventing the entry of our trans sisters and brothers .

this space was also marked by the attempt to establish validity parameters both in our practical policy activists like in our sexuality, theoretical and life experiences. Determine "what is right" and "what is wrong" was the constant search, disguised as a self-criticism that was never such. Rather it was a process in which some, entrenched in the abstract space of critical theory devoid of practical everyday politics, self-sold the right to criticize the daily struggle of many others, who we had to argue in court the validity of such exalted of our tasks militants and our critical positions. In this dynamic, in turn, permanently forgot diversity of political, economic, cultural, with a stick trying to assess universal and absolute that much resembles the "thinking" forms of development of the feminist and lesbian activism in each of our countries. This trend of social control had its most cartoonish when it came to question the use of sex toys, arguing that such practices reinforced patriarchy and capitalism.

The language was a prison in ELFLAC, a prison where proliferancia elitist word "right" and "incorrect" and the demarcation of authoritative voices of others were not, were aware of the limited capacity this space to house mates from different socio-economic and cultural.

The consensus, in turn, beautiful practice collectivist became a tool of oppression and exclusion, devaluing, and on behalf of his defense and violated protection is censored and the different.

So much so that Michel, feminist lesbian partner was using the right to decide over their bodies, speaking, living masculinity in their own way, changing its name (but not sex) in the identity and embrace a transgender identity, was removed upon arrival at the meeting of two people in the Ekipo up a safety committee, which discussed whether he could enter the space, despite having prior confirmation that the same Ekipo invited to register and participate. He said it should be defined only as a lesbian feminist and a feminine naming themselves always, and to avoid discussing the "trans issue" and to stick to the violence that "his presence" would emerge from other "partners." During the meeting, when Michel wanted to participate in a workshop was asked to withdraw because "no longer looked like women," they wanted to speak in plenary was greeted with boos and cries of many "partners" who " accused "of" being a man "who could not speak because there was no consensus.

All these things we were Desencontro. At that time Ekipo Guatemala itself provided the break, and even proposed, inviting those who did not feel comfortable to be managed another meeting. But the determination of a few to keep this barrier to exclude people based on trans lesbian feminists universal and biological aspects was the element which caused our inevitable abandonment of ELFLAC VIII and strong decision to convene a bi trans feminist meeting where they all what was missing in Guatemala may be present.

COMING SOUTH: MULTIPLE MATCHES PARAGUAY 2012

Despite all the pain, however, this story is for us a hopeful end. Because it is from these encounters that today, with great joy, we announce and share with everyone * s, the birth of new and multiple games. And to that end we call on who sits belonging to this large and diverse community to participate at this point in the construction of the first Feminist Encuentro LesBiTrans Latin America and the Caribbean.

Is this a space built from now, with multiple crossings and encounters through all means possible, to do that in Paraguay in 2012 are all voices, all shapes, all bodies, all practices.

Only this space are excluded from those colleagues who feel that the only valid practice is practice, and the only valid address is his address, because from that place is impossible to be so lonely.

feminist Hugs open, flexible and orgasmic.

SIGNATORY ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS


signatory:

Samira S. Montiel - Nicaragua

Martha Villanueva

Fabiana Tuñez - Argentina

Ada Beatriz Rico - Argentina

Ana Lucia Ramirez - Colombia-Chile

Claudia Patricia Corredor - Colombia

Judith Grenn - Paraguay
Camila Zabala - Paraguay

Rosa Posa - Paraguay

Peki Ferandez - Paraguay

Mali Ramirez - Paraguay

Arrúa Rafaela Cañete - Paraguay

Carolina Robledo - Paraguay

Cristina Nascimento - Brazil

Valeria Rubino - Uruguay

Mariana Rodriguez - Uruguay

Sandra Montealegre - Colombia

Lorena Espinoza - Dominican Republic

Shirley Alarcon Zamora - Costa Rica

Gladys Galarreta - Peru

Margarita Salas Guzmán - Costa Rica

Mora Paulina Torres - Costa Rica

Ballestra Graciela - Argentina

Claudia Castro - Argentina
Gabrielle Esteban, Colombia - Ecuador


Organizations:


aired - Paraguay
Civil Association La Casa del Encuentro - Argentina

Women and Health Collective - Dominican Republic

Women on the Verge - Colombia

19 and Lilliana - Uruguay

Collective Black Sheep - Uruguay

Kolectivo Rebeldías Lesbian

Collective Trans Tortillera Paila Marina, Chile.

Theater Group Loucas de Pedra Lilies - Brazil

Coordinator Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination - Costa Rica

Open Door - Argentina

The Jane Doe - Argentina
Collective different senses, Colombia - Ecuador