The Mountain Moving Coffeehouse for Womyn and Children was a lesbian feminist music venue , located in Chicago and known across the United States. It operated for thirty-one years, from 1974 until 2005. The name of the organization evokes the political task that feminists must "move the mountains" of institutional sexism and homophobia . The alternative spelling of " womyn " represented an expression of female independence and a repudiation of traditions that define women by reference to a male norm .
7-475: The " coffeehouse " was a once-a-week Saturday night gathering, held at a rented space in churches, in various north side Chicago neighborhoods, that presented woman-identified music and entertainment by and for lesbians and feminists. Drug and alcohol-free, the space was intended as an alternative to the lesbian bar scene. The organization was founded by lesbian-feminist activists as a safe-space for cisgender women and their young children. Male children over
14-570: Is collected as an entrance fee, it is often donated in whole or in part to the social cause, after covering expenses. Coffeehouses are often sponsored by a permanent, semicommercial coffeehouse venue, such as the well-known Club Passim and Caffe Lena . Churches, non-profits, school groups, and other private groups also sponsor coffee houses in church meeting rooms, colleges , and high schools . In particular, schools often sponsor coffeehouses to allow students to socialize in an explicitly non-alcoholic environment. This sociology -related article
21-515: The United States. A successor organization was created called the Kindred Hearts' Coffeehouse, which serves as a monthly event offering women's music. Coffeehouse (event) A coffeehouse is a social event, often held to raise funds for and/or generate awareness of a social cause or other event. The name "coffeehouse" is derived from the limited menu which is typically available at
28-407: The age of two and transgender women were not allowed to attend. The womyn-born womyn policy generated some controversy during the 1980s when pressure was put on the coffeehouse to allow admittance to men, as well as in the 1990s when the policy was contested by transgender women. It was claimed that the policy was discriminatory and created "mental difficulties" for transgender women. The policy
35-427: The event. Still other coffeehouses feature lectures and presentations to raise awareness about social issues such as political oppression , food/ freshwater shortages, and/or outbreaks of disease in various countries. Some coffeehouses may facilitate other activities, such as a mass letter writing campaign or signing petitions. Some coffeehouses have free admission, but others require a small entrance fee. If money
42-417: The social event: coffee is usually the featured beverage, together with other non-alcoholic beverages such as soda , juice and tea . Desserts and snack foods may round out the menu. Folk music and other acoustic concerts are the primary activity at many coffeehouses. Other coffeehouses allow patrons to sing, dance, read poetry, perform stand-up comedy, or demonstrate other talents as entertainment during
49-462: Was also challenged in the 1990s by a local gay male journalist. However, the organization defended its policy and never allowed admittance to men or to transgender women. In 1993, the coffeehouse was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame . Upon the closure of the coffeehouse on December 10, 2005, it was the oldest continuously operating womyn-born womyn and girl-only concert venue in
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