deutsche Version

The Ladiyfest 2017 Crew's Concept

Our Ladiyfest is a self-organized, non-commercial and queer-feminist event. At this long weekend we want to party hard – at concerts with great queer-feminist bands and after show parties, at empowering workshops, at actions on the streets and in political discussions. As musicians, artists, writers and poets, bloggers, computer-nerds, activists, scientists and craftspersons we create the program ourselves. At least for some time we want to overcome the gender normativity which is present not only in our everyday lives but also in the anarchist DIY culture.

The Ladiyfest is part of a history of Lad(i)yfests. The idea was born in the 2000s within the RiotGrrrl movement. At that point the idea was (and still is) to strengthen women within in a cis-male dominated music scene and to make their positions visible. The term 'Lady' was supposed to get a new meaning – so to say as a name for the already grown up RiotGrrrls. Throughout the extension of Ladyfest to LaDIYfest we want to break the binary and normative gender system that for some of us is linked to the term 'Lady'. This means: We want to create more awareness on the existence of more than two gender identities in this world and we want to point out exclusions and discriminations happening within the queer-feminist scene. Racist exclusions and discriminations, too, have always occured within the feminist scene, even if often unconsciously. Together we want to fight for a feminism in which we can celebrate our differences.

The Ladiyfest is a self-organized festival. It's alive through all of us and we are organizing it together: With the knowledge, perspectives, skills, contacts and with the things everyone is bringing along to share them with the group. We actively take part in societal circumstances, having exchanges with each other about our struggles, we network and learn from and with each other. Emancipatory, strengthening, constructive.

We all know: Not only heteronormative cis-men are organizing concerts, editing zines, making music, performing, writing or are otherwise creative. Although people with other gender identities are underrepresented, they are also very active in non-commercial (D.I.Y.) scenes. We want to support the creative commitment of Women, Lesbians, Trans*- and Inter*-people and sexually non-normative people and contribute to it ourselves.

Ladiyfest Leipzig 2017

It is the first time in five years that a new group has formed to organize another Ladiyfest in Leipzig. In most countries the situation for people that are being discriminated against because of their gender identity, country of origin, colour of skin, sexuality and/or concepts of (romantic) relationships is still (or again) very miserable. That's why we try to focus on political exchange and networking with queer/feminist groups and movements at the Ladiyfest 2017: How does the situation look like in different places for the mentioned marginalized people? Which unions and alliances already exist within societal struggles? And how can we collectively create and form radical resistance structures? How can we form a comprehensive queer-feminist movement in which different queer and feminist ideas and realities of life find their place? We want to create more opportunities to support each other and to become audible and visible!

At the same weekend another two big events will happen: The demonstration at the 'International Day Against Homo-, Inter*- and Trans*phobia' (IDAHIT) in Leipzig, which we invite you all to join. In Cologne the „Tribunal: NSU Komplex auflösen!“ ('Tribunal: Dismantle the National Socialist Underground'; a Nazi Terrorist Group), which is a historical trial against the societal interconnection of the NSU. In this public trial the people affected by the NeoNazi-Terror can and will finally speak up. We want to follow this event during the Ladiyfest via live ticker. In our opinion, it is very important to link and connect these events with each other, because different queer, feminist and anti-racist struggles belong together!

Who is invited & Awareness

In the first place the Ladiyfest invites people who identify as Women, Lesbian, Trans* and Inter* (WLTI*) and who identify as queer/feminist. The abbreviation WLTI* wishes to also include more marginalized gender identities that are not being mentioned here explicitly. Most workshops and reading events are open for WLTI* - the invitiation policy and the content of the workshops was left to the respective tutor. The concerts, parties and lectures are open to all people that are in solidarity with the Ladiyfest-idea.

The reason why - at least during daytime - the Ladiyfest will be an exclusive space for WLTI* is that we want to escape from patriarchal society, at least for a little while. We want to exchange and organize with each other, do great stuff together and have fun – without having to deal with the daily patriarchal power relations.

But we all have internalized these structures and power relations and we all reproduce them in our everyday lives. That's why we ask all of us to be aware, to take care of and to respect each other. Taking care of each other also means to be aware of your own privileges, e. g. white- or cis-privileges, and to respect each other in our own definitions of ourselves. For instance, pronouns are nothing you can derive from someone's appearance. In this we wish to have a sensitive and open interaction, so that as many of us can feel comfortable and safe.

And of course we find it very important that you offer your support to people if they are affected by sexist, racist, trans-,inter-, homophobic and by general discriminatory behaviour. Please respect your own boundaries and those of others. If there are any incidents and you feel alone with it feel welcome to ask people from the organizing-team, at the bar or the entrance - they will do their best to support you. We are planning to have an Awareness-Team for the duration of the festival.

Who we are

Our group is open to all who identify as WLTI* (Women, Lesbian, Trans*, Inter*). At the moment we are all people that identify as women – as their own definition and/or ascribed by society. We are all feminists – we come from different (queer-)feminist movements and we are organizing the Ladiyfest as a alliance. To make it clear: We are not a homogeneous group which discussed everything in detail. Not everyone is sharing the same point of views but we are connected through discussing our various emancipatory positions.

Positioned as anti-normative and queer/feminist we are motivated by the idea of a Ladiyfest. Without patriarchy or oppressing concepts of gender. For freedom, courage, fun and self-awareness. And to create change.

If you want to support us or take part in anything (like organization, bar-shifts, awareness-team,...) feel free to contact us on this email: infoandsupport at autistici dot org

We will get back to you as soon as possible for further information.