Femininjas

Acute Ninja, Kuro Neko Ninja and I arrived at Lu’s a little before 3pm. E# Diminished Ninja had gone in earlier and reported friendly treatment.

The pharmacist (I think Farinaz was her name) buzzed us in. She was friendly enough with her greeting but seemed a bit nervous. Of course, I was VERY nervous, so can’t really fault her for that.

I asked her if it was possible to transfer my prescriptions from London Drugs to Lu’s and she told me she could call them and arrange it. She asked me if that was what I wanted to do, and I nodded stupidly, thinking to myself, do I really want to do this?

They obviously were willing to take my script, but it was not yet clear whether I would really be welcome.  Farinaz seemed ok, but I wasn’t sure, based on what I’d heard, that I’d enjoy meeting Caryn Duncan.

Farinaz took my information and then asked us if we wanted a tour. We said yes, and as she escorted us around back, she asked me if I wished to be called [____], and after a moment of confused floundering on my part I asked her to call me Gwen.

We were introduced to a woman named Natalie (volunteer coordinator?) who showed us around. There were computers for internet use, a small library, and an area at the back with some furniture for group discussions.

Apparently, they also offer yoga which we were told is rather sparsely attended at present, and ideal for people who want more individual attention. At this point, I think Kuro Neko Ninja explicitly mentioned our interest in the change of policy regarding trans women, and Natalie confirmed the policy had been changed (at a meeting last week?) and that they would be making an announcement.

She seemed genuinely very pleased that the policy had been changed. She told us they really needed volunteers and told us a bit about what the volunteers do. The form she gave us made it clear that volunteers were part of the collective, so that confirmed that trans folk were welcome there too.

Farinaz came into the back as we were finishing up with Natalie and asked to come up front and review the prescription information she’d obtained from London Drugs.

She too seemed genuinely very pleased that we were there. We discussed my prescription and I told her I’d come back later in the week to pick it up. She encouraged me to come see one of the nurse practitioners which she said had some experience with trans health issues.

I asked if my prescription could be made out to Gwen and she was ok with that. She was very warm and friendly. She, like Natalie, seemed really very happy that the exclusion policy had been dropped, and actually gave me a big welcoming hug.

At this point, I was feeling very wanted at Lu’s. Quite amazing actually,
considering how I felt when we arrived.

On the way out, Acute Ninja asked about Caryn Duncan and that is when we were told she was no longer working there. Big surprise, but made sense, given how Farinaz and Natalie were reacting to our visit. I didn’t really detect any of the kind of guilt or angst that one often sees in people who are forced to admit they did something wrong.

I just sensed relief, and I think that was probably because these people never agreed with the women born women policy, and were pleased that they’d finally managed to overturn it.

On October 1st, Femininjas operatives Acute and InIn will be attending in good grace the grand re-opening of the Vancouver Women’s Health Collective, the organization behind Lu’s: a Pharmacy for Women. Acute Ninja is a trans woman. We are live blogging this event here on www.femininjas.com, and on our Twitter feed @femininjas.

Why are we going? It’s true that Femininjas is opposed to Lu’s exclusionary policy towards trans and intersexed women. We are, however, not opposed to the valuable space and services that Lu’s could potentially provide. We feel that a women-born women policy limits their ability to serve all women. We do not believe that any business should be able to dictate who is and who is not a woman.

The closure of Lu’s: a Pharmacy for Women has never been a Femininjas goal. Our main rationale for going is quite simple. We want to change their minds.

It is not a matter of dictating to Lu’s how to run their business, but of developing a mutual understanding that their present policy is not in the best interest of all women. Especially the women who need women’s only spaces the most.  Excluding trans women from a women’s space amounts to discrimination against a visible minority.

We fully believe that change can happen now to no additional cost or duress to Lu’s: a Pharmacy for Women.  Our presence at the grand re-opening of Lu’s is a step forward. We trust that this is a positive indication of Lu’s willingness to participate in serving the wider community of women. We will continue to work with Lu’s to address any concerns or needs, work through a process of community consultation with Lu’s peers, and hope to see a positive change in Lu’s policies, sooner rather than later.

We look forward to a day when all women can get prescriptions filled at Lu’s: a Pharmacy for Women.

I am so saddened to hear that transgendered women are not welcome at Lu’s. There are many systems of oppression, as I am sure all at the Women’s Health Collective would agree. One of the systems I recognise – trans oppression – is intimately wrapped up with sexism and heterosexism. Those of us whose gender identity matches the one that was assigned us at birth have a form of privilege, notwithstanding all the other ways in which we might be marginalized. There is a long history of organizations that exist to serve marginalized groups choosing to exclude those members of their groups who face multiple types of marginalization. Feminist organizations that exclude women with disabilities, or queer women, anti-racist organizations that fail to address the experiences of women, groups addressing class inequity that fail to acknowledge colonialism and racism…and so on and so on… It sometimes seems that we who are committed to social justice never learn. We weaken ourselves in this way. It is long past time to choose a different path.

Trans women are not privileged members of society. When we exclude trans women we are not protecting women’s space, we are protecting gender privileged space. There is nothing noble in reinforcing any form of marginalization. It causes pain, and it does so to no good end. Consider this – two forms of oppression I am sure you recognise and condemn – sexism and heterosexism – both encourage and promote hatred of trans people. In siding with trans oppression, you are working in solidarity with the very forces that harm, not just trans women, but all women, and all those whose sexual orientation is not heterosexual. Take a moment to look around at who is there with you in excluding trans women – the anti-choice movement is there, as are sexist and homophobic bigots of all stripes…are you sure that is the company you want to keep? Please, rethink what you are doing.

Sincerely,

Kalamity Hildebrandt

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