So are there any lesbians/dykes out there who have been banded and now go to any of the festivals (ie Michigan Women's Music Festival)? Did you tell anyone while you were at the festival that you had weight loss surgery? How did others take in that information? I'm a little concerned that the radical lesbian feminists will be outraged by my decision?

So what if others are outraged ! It is your body , your health and your choice. It is just a tool you choose to use. the other women may react out of jealousy. You are very brave to choose to live !

Carol

I know what your saying Harvest. I have always preached love yourself at anysize and get so pissed off myself when normal healthy woman hate themselves because of the impossible image we are supposed to keep up with that the media and the cosmetic industry expose us too, and I (and I might get web slapped for saying this) feel uncomfortable with people who get the lap band for purely cosmetic reasons and am afraid that people will think that I did, but I was huge and unhealthy and I had to do something drastic or I would never be ABLE to go to a festival because I wouldn't be able to walk any kind of distance. My legs were swelling horribly and the Dr.'s just kept prescribing Fluid pills and telling me to get exercise, that I needed to lose weight, but my legs were so thick and swollen and painful that I couldn't even barely walk to my care from work, much less walk around the block.

So far I've lost about 30 lbs and I can work out (not as much as I want to but I can at least do 30 minutes on a tread mill if I feel motivated too) I am a feminist lesbian..and I have the lapband. Now I can continue to be a feminist lesbian in 10 years rather than a sad depressed person who can't drive herself because she couldn't fit in her own car.

Thank you and good for you to make such a life altering decision at such a young age. Your decision to have lap band is going make your adult years sooooo much more full and enjoyable. Maybe we should make a goal to meet at Michigan Women's Music Festival next summer or the following. Wouldn't it be great to have a lap band camp group at the festival and maybe do a workshop about lap land to educate and inform our sisters?

Harvest

Sounds wonderful. We will have to keep in touch. I have never had the oppurtunity to go but I have read so much about it.

I read the book "Girls like us" about the woman who started the festivals and the progression of them since. I have always always wanted to go.

Hi!

I'm in Mich. and am not to far from the WF. My gf and I wanted to go but

but we could never work it out. I would love to go. If anyone does come out here LMK.

Stacey

Hi all,

A million years ago, when there was a West Coast women’s festival in Yosemite, I had a friend who had had stomach stapling, I guess. I remember being envious of her, though I’m not nearly as big as I am now. I never heard any of the lesbian feminists I knew say anything about her except to express fear that something might happen to her, like the erosion of the staples, I guess. She has since gained most if not all of that weight back, and her partner at the time, who also had the same thing done, gained a lot of her weight back, too. When I told my friend’s ex that I was looking in to getting banded, she asked me to keep her posted. She sounded interested.

I have not been banded but am researching and planning to have it done withing the next few months. I have always wanted to go to the MWF...I wrote my thesis for grad school on women identified women's music. Anyway I think it would be a great goal...to be able to go and get around without trouble. My partner and I have a 1984 Volkswagon Vanagon that would travel nicely I think. I would be honored to meet any and all of you there.

Denise

Gosh it is great to have found this thread. I was just wondering if or how many women that went to MWF had lapband surgery.

My sweety and I have been going for the last 5 years or so. She has attended for many more years before that.

As to a support group...MWF would probably have a whole designated section for campers. They have a spot for all different types of needs =)

Just last August we opted out of Michigan for a 3 week trip to South America. I really found myself missing festival. But hopefully we will be there August 2009 and I'll be banded and enjoying festival even more.