Hi all!

I may or may not be at Beltane this year. I'm still working out my feelings about needing to take space.

I DO have some ideas that I'd like to share.

* First, if i'm not there, i hope that somebody would take on facilitating the Uni-Tea (formerly known as Sobrie-Tea) in other words a tea that EVERYONE around the Maypole can drink. OR Perhaps instead of Uni-Tea, there just be a sharing of WATER with everybody blessing each other "May you never thirst" as we share spring water with each other around the circle.

* I was talking with Zakkums on Saturday and i got the hit that early on in the Beltane gathering, there needs to be a Sexorcism Ritual. People could circle around the compost and the shitter and give voice to all the hurt feelings, pain, negativities, etc... that prevent us from creating more sex-positice spaces on the Land--especially spaces which are considered to be "exclusive" to some degree--in other words separate spaces for male-loving-male focused activities and female-loving-female focused actitvities like heart circles, circle jerks, sex parties. (Of course, pangender heart circles, sex parties and circle jerks would also be planned!!!)

* After that ritual, spaces, perhaps buildings could be designated as male-loving-male (MLM) focused space, female-loving-female (FLF) perhaps even GQLGQ (genderqueer-loving-genderqueer) space!! It's time we baked more pies. It's time we recognized that WE CAN have most spaces that are open to everybody AND some spaces that are focused around one gender AT THE SAME GATHERING. Far too often, this issue gets polarized and misperceived as being about a struggle between "faggot-only" and "pangenderists" trying to make all of Wolf Creek be one way all or most of the time. We can have our cake and eat it too! All it takes are facilitators to step forward and say; i will commit to holding the boundaries respecting MLM, FLF, GQLGQ spaces for those who need them. MLM, FLF and GQLGQ spaces could all switch locations on different days to mix it up and keep it interesting.

* Part of the ritual work needs to address the perception that some spaces are "sexist," "exclusive," and "discriminatory." In reality, pushing to have all spaces open to all genders all the time EXCLUDES the possibility of gender-focused spaces happening at the same time. Pangender and gender-focused spaces are MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE and that's OK. The focus on one gender creates a different kind of space for healing and recovery--that space isn't better or worse than space open to all genders--just different. I have yet to hear people complain that sober space excludes or discriminates against people who are drinking or drugging. Instead of making claims that certain types of spaces are better than others, i feel it's more productive to be clear with intentions as to why gender-focused spaces are being set.

Having more gender-focused space at Wolf Creek is key to healing the connflicts and hurt feelings surrounding the sanctuary. Without opportunities for male-loving-male (MLM) space at Wolf Creek, those Faeries who used to participate at Wolf Creek when it was male-only will continue to feel excluded and shut out from the Sanctuary. I believe it's possible for the communities that gather at Wolf Creek to strike a balance between spaces open to all genders and spaces focused around one gender happening at the same time time in different spaces. Finding this equilibrium will have far-reaching effects beyond the beautiful, amazing Sanctuary we love and cherish.