Matt Cardy
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Glastonbury 2016 will be the first edition of the long-running UK festival to feature The Sisterhood, a venue in the Shangri-La zone that will be open only to women. The Guardian reports that the new area will be an “'intersectional, queer, trans, and disability-inclusive space' and will be staffed entirely by people who identify as female, from performers to security staff."
Offerings at The Sisterhood will include "live music, DJs, and workshops on intersectionality, diversity, and inclusion," as well as "daily dances classes [and] DIY power tools workshops with carpenter Rhi Jean."
The organizers shared a statement with The Guardian:
The producers of The Sisterhood believe that women-only spaces are necessary in a world that is still run by and designed to benefit mainly men. Oppression against women continues in various manifestations around the world today, in different cultural contexts.
In the UK, the gender pay gap in the workplace, cuts to domestic violence services and sex worker rights are current talking points that highlight this issue. Sisterhood seeks to provide a secret space for women to connect, network, share their stories, have fun and learn the best way to support each other in our global struggle to end oppression against women and all marginalised people, while showcasing the best and boldest female talent in the UK and beyond.
Glastonbury 2016 runs from June 22-26. The FADER has reached out to the festival for comment.