I’m taking a brief stop at a rest area along I81. Only a few folks have responded along the road but all those that have responded, have been positive! A honk, a wave, a big smile and nod of the head. One car pulled over on the shoulder waiting for me to pass, then pulled behind me and hovered for awhile but said nothing as he pulled out and passed me again.

But at the rest stop, an older womon accompanied by her young adult maybe daughter or friend, raised her fist in salute, smiling broadly. I jumped down, out the truck, but they were gone by the time I was on the sidewalk trying to find them. Several minutes later, another older womon, also native and also beautiful, approached me and asked me if I was going to the protest in D.C. this weekend.

I was immediately regretful – I would have loved to follow this womon to D.C. and stand together, but I already made a commitment to the festival. She told me they were heading there to join hundreds of others and that I should try to come. I promised her I will be in D.C., if not this weekend then soon. She then expressed her love and appreciation for my truck, sweeping her eyes over the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Womyn & Girls red dress. I asked her if she wanted to paint another womon’s name on the dress before I remembered I had removed all my paint, etc., from my truck but she said she regretted she didn’t have time.

“Next time we meet, sister” she said.

Next time we meet.

First short post-covid womyn's land trip!

I’m taking a short trip to womyn’s land and an annual festival that hasn’t happened since covid. The last time I was there, the trans faction was attempting a take-over. They have covered up “women” on the bathroom and replaced it with “cis and trans women”, a sign I had to tear down. Plus they passed a new law saying no nudity in the pool.

No naked women’s bodies swimming around the pool? Are you fuckin kidding me? One of the organizers had taken me aside and spoke of the struggles the women were having there, keeping the festival womon-only. We commiserated on the state of misogyny rearing up in this seemingly ‘unique’, immensely strong fashion – although we agreed it is just new words and form for the same old shit.

The most tragic thing is young womyn are not knowledgeable enough to recognize the myriad of insidious ways misogyny operates, nor experienced enough at countering such misogyny, to take a stand centering womyn. I mean look at how long it took us to figure it out ourselves way back in the 60’s and 70’s. And in those days, misogyny was so much more in our faces, so blatant. Although men wanting to invade ‘safe’ spaces for womyn, from bathrooms to locker rooms to festivals, is nothing new. Their methods are newer, but even back in the day, there were men who dressed as ‘women’ who tried to force their way into our events.

This is my first venture out onto the road since picking my truck up in Philly and my new paint job! I can’t wait to experience the public’s reactions, although I won’t be able to dally much.