Hey Queersdos! Just a reminder that this will be a Zoom Meetup that will be an hour or a little more depending on the vibe. Really want to talk to the community leadership and would be leaders about the future of the LGBTQAI Burner Community and how Queerburners can help you as we move forward. We have done a lot in the past, but as the future evolves we are looking at camp/project/mutant vehicle leaders as the targeted audience who will take information and spread it into their groups. The information can come from other leaders, our internal network of leadership, and in some cases other resources that are vital for the health and well-being of our community and the community at-large.
The Agenda is super easy and will have an open floor for discussion and topic related to the community
Welcome to the August Board Meeting: Town Hall (This meeting will be recorded and put on our website and YouTube Channel)
Role Call (Name to addressed as in meeting, Association [camp, project, mv], pronouns, going to BTC this year? Board member or interested in Board role?]
The Board will accept nominations and vote in the first week of October to fill these positions.
Join us at Queerburners
We have accomplished a lot of things over the last fifteen years and there is a lot more we can accomplish within the scope of the community as a whole with room to grow.
In my fifteen years of burning, I tried a lot of channels. My position has always been to be a person who contributes and supports my community. As you might have noted from previous posts, I talk about my fellow burners a lot. My community focus is the LGBTQIA, but my network and community extends far beyond that. And, also noted in a recent post, I set a clear intention to develop better relationships with women, which I feel successful at. The bonus is, I met and became close to a lot of wonderful humans from all kind of walks of like that became very important to me as well.
Why Rangering?
The positive side of rangering, from my point of view, is you someone can feel like you have become a co-host for the party. Honestly, you walk around and get to watch people having a great time and when someone is being a jerk, you get to help them walk themselves back into the party in a btter place. Well, hopefully. There are times when people are just going to be assholes and that is not really your problem in the bigger picture.
As a Ranger you are a volunteer on vacation and you get to hang out with like minded people. There is a dizzying amount of ‘kinds’ of ranger you might see at Burning Man, but the most common you might see is the Dirt Ranger who is wandering the event in pairs. They are level one ambassadors and have built a lot of trust. That trust is called “Social Capital” and its really important. Bottom line, Rangers are there to help make things run smoothly.
Let’s go back to Social Capital. I learned a lot about leadership from this model. I wish I learned this in the beginning, like before I started leading camps, because my world might be very different from today. Part of rangering is about learning to listen and not reacting to a situation. Often that means doing nothing. Social Capital lets that happen because very often just being around a Ranger makes people want to do better. As a neighbor or as a citizen of BRC.
Volunteering
Volunteering is what makes Black Rock City tick. It is the major line that defines Burning Man as a cultural event over being a festival. Anyone calling it a festival is missing the point. There are rewards that come with giving your energy and time that make it worth while. Rangering is, IMHO, one of the best things leaders in our community could take on and find themselves much better evolved because:
You learn a lot about conflict resolution
You learn a lot about yourself
It is the perfect chance to leave you camp and self assigned responsibilities to enjoy the event
It is freeing of the ego
Conclusion
Is it too late to jump on ship? Check out the Volunteering form through your burner profile today. There are several layers you have to go through to be a ranger to start off with. Do this with intention.
Complete the Volunteer Form
Complete the online training course (it’s short this year and concise)
Complete in person training (a whole day)
Complete your Alpha Shift on playa (10 Hours)
This is very much worth it with what you will walk away with.
The only negative side of this coin is that there are still some jerks that ruin that social capital that is hard to unsee. Ranger really value that Social Capital and those remaining salty old fuks are a dying breed. Like the Ranger Manual says, sometimes do nothing and move on. Hold on to the intention we talked about in a previous paragraph and use these tools to make you a better leader, community member, and participant. Community is more important than ever these days.
IMPORTANT NOTE: It seems to be too late to become a ranger for 2023. Can’t stop you from learning about it and getting to know some cool rangers. Maybe 2024?
(NOTE: The comments below are an opinion and not official policy of Queerburners. This is not in anyway officially connected to the Burning Man Project)
Recently, with the impetus of the camp directory, I wanted to clarify what it means to be an ally for LGBTQ Burners. I might have been a bit “stern” in my feedback. This is because we live in a time where LGBT people are being demonized by conservatives to deflect from a problematic agenda. It is more important than ever to know who our community partners actually are. It is also important to know what allyship can mean. Granted, it can be very different for various people. Maybe there are layers?
Flag waiving was one of the comments made. We see that kind of shit all the time with corporations and businesses who are trying to attract LGBT dollars. Or, the blow back on their Allyship has caused their business’ to reel backward fearing a loss of revenue as a result. Even individuals have claimed an allyship and been shamed into stepping back. A true ally will stand through the storm, because all storms pass.
Here is a great example of Allyship in a statement I found from Summa Health:
Anyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, can support the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning) community. But being an ally of this population takes action. Allies work to stay informed on current LGBT issues and events. They speak up for what’s right and they support equality by fighting for policies that protect LGBTQ individuals from discrimination.
Allies are important and welcomed supporters of the LGBTQ movement, as they have one of the most powerful, influential voices. They help create a platform for activism to fight homophobia and transphobia, and they personally advocate for equal treatment for all people, regardless of their sexual orientation.
Love this… I came back to it several times as I explored the subject. Visit their website to see employee statements that are truly touching. (Also Check out Reachout Australia)
How does this apply to Burning Man or Black Rock City?
The battle to get the Queerborhood secured for LGBTQ camps has been a climb. The last great battle came in 2016 when we met with Placement when it was headed by Answergirl. We were able to drive home the point the purpose of the neighborhood is the safety and security of queer people who are vulnerable at the event. Maybe you are one of those people that does not believe things like that happen at Burning Man, and you would be wrong. (2016 Survey)
No matter how you cut it, Burning Man is a very heteronormative environment with a hard focus on being CIS and white and privileged and able bodied. Any regional event you attend is clearly a hetero focused event with some gay people, which is why I feel it is important to have our own Queer Regional Events and we invite our hetero allies. We had 4 years of success in that area from 2015 to 2018, but not since. However, events like Something Queer and BAAAHS have made really strong efforts in that area. And Comfort & Joy have been doing it a long time.
In 2023 with all the anti LGBT agendas in the United States, even Burning Man has dropped the ball. With something as simple as dropping the LGBT category from on-playa events it has reverberated in how we make our presence known. So, we are producing our own What Where When.
Maybe you are asking: Well, we have the Queeborhood! What else do you want?
LGBT Burners are still a very marginalized group and there are fae, GNC, and Trans people (more specific: anyone not CIS and white and male and masc) and safety and community are still top priority and those things get lost in heavy environments.
What is RIDE?
Burning Man RIDE can be found linked here. There is a huge push in Burning Man on RIDE initiatives with a specific focus on BIPOC participants. In the 7/22/2023 meeting there was an announcement about a new effort for Blind as well as Deaf Burners in the community. The support for LGBT Burners over time has been a real roller coaster. IMO with only 13% of burners going to Black Rock City identifying as BIPOC the real problem is CIS white leadership of BMorg need to prove to the world they are really Diverse by forcing the conversation instead of dealing with the people that make up the entire rainbow of loyal participants.
Take a look at the Burning Man RIDE resources page and how they are all about everything BUT LGBT burners. Queerburners in one form or another has been active in the community for 15 Years and still have yet to be given an ounce of respect from the Org.
I am not saying that BIPOC efforts should be reduced or impeded in anyway. Having more representation from all cultural backgrounds is super important to the DNA of the Burning Man idea.
Burning Man RIDE is only about POC (People of Color), which is great. However, the BIGGEST and most participatory segment of the marginalized population of this phenomena called Burning Man is LGBTQ burners and we are routinely kicked to the curb in spite of many LGBTQ staff at BMorg headquarters and leadership.
Burning Man RIDE lets the leadership of Burning Man point into a crowd and say: Look we have POCs here. LGBTQ people rarely stand out on group photos. We need to be able to point to the pictures and see more than Instagram models and TechBros and Celebrities.
Final Thoughts
This is the hardest part, because I have let Burning Man and the LGBT Burner world become a part of who I am and to think I could lose that is like losing a parent or family member. I have been a strong advocate for Queerburners behind the scenes as well as by writing cheerful blogs like this (sarcasm). I have let myself be involved in our leadership on Alabama Street in San Francisco (BMorg HQ) and have played in a lot of different ponds.
I have seen Burning Man Leadership fall down and then get up even stronger over and over in these fifteen years. I think accountability is vital.
When I hear important leadership like Maid Marian, Level, Answergirl, and Andie Grace using language that lessens us as a presence of this community, it really hurts. These are people who I thought were allies, and in some cases actual queer burners, get lost in the politics of the office. Where are our real allies? Who is advocating for the LGBTQ PARTICIPANTS OF THIS COMMUNITY?
Following the meeting on 7/22 and after listening to Level, there was a part of me ready to give up entirely on leadership on Alabama Avenue. Seeing the things I am seeing on the RIDE official pages for Burning Man really makes me see how they DO NOT SEE US. The world is heading in the wrong direction and to me it seems Burning Man is a reflection of that. Burning Man has always been a reflection of the world.
Truth be told… a lot of feedback is that LGBTQ leaders are glad not to get officially involved with the BMorg, and I understand why. This is my last post on this subject, take it or leave it. Comments welcome below.
Getting the real Tea will come from watching the recorded video that is published on Burning Man Hive, linked below this paragraph (bloop). There were almost 400 people at the meeting including presenters. Considering the number of camps and mutant vehicles out there, and the importance of the information, there should have been a lot more. But, then again, the powers-that-be and the community are usually good about getting it all out.
TLDR; My quick two cents was that the meeting was great for being packed into a single hour. They can only do so much with a topic a huge as this. Biggest take-aways for me was LNT topics and new sound rules for camps and mutant vehicles. Moreso, while I am glad they verbally acknowledge the Queerborhood, Level had to specifically state that it is not Placements position to officially acknowledge it but a community request to have queer camps together ignoring the topic of why. And when talking about community resources completely ignored queerburners.org as a long standing entity.
Ups of the Meeting – Transparency – Clarified Sound Policy – Awareness of Exodus issues – Changes to Center Camp
Downs of the Meeting – Seeing how people are leaving their shit behind post event (LNT) – Sound Policy (yes, there is plus and minus) – 1 Violation on Mutant Vehicles could get license revoked? – BMorg still has their head buried in the sand over RIDE/Diversity
Note: This is a persons opinion. I am in no way an authority on any of this information. You must find the facts yourself.
Meeting Notes (from Toaster)
The meeting started at 10am PDT on 7/22/2023 on a Zoom Call
BM Collaborators Meeting
The opening was couched By Charlie Dolman as something new to loop in the community on changes to Burning Man for 2023
2022 MOOP was a huge problem
eBikes another huge issue
Government Regulations in some cases have changed
D.A. on MOOP
Biggest MOOP problem was tent stakes, lag bolts, rebar
There was so much more captured in his slide deck
Magpie talked about Exodus
Wants to make it NOT SUCK in 2023
GARS is coming back 95.1 on the radio dial / BMIR Traffic every 30 mins
On playa parked vehicles outside DMZ limited to 3 hours with Sound Limits
On playa parked in DMZ no limits
Limits around all events and art installations for Mutant Vehicles
Quiet time in city 2AM to 10AM
A single violation COULD get your license pulled
Level (Placement)
Big Changes!
Max 300 db GONE, 90 db CHANGED!
All speakers in a camp must be pointed internally
60db @ border of neighbors camp or center of the street (except Esplanade)
100 db to open playa
Case Levels need to be negotiated with neighbors – be a good neighbor
Cory and Tinker about Center Camp
Camps can bring their vibe to Center Camp (sorta like Golden Guy works: IMO)
SWIFT Team can help you schedule time and space
e.g. Blood Mary Bacon Bar and more will be setup there…. stay tuned!
Level and Shaye about Vending
“Mistakes are the best place to start”
IMO: this was a great way to start because it allows people to make mistakes and learn from them
Reporting violations to Placement @burningman.org
doingitwrong@ or ip@ for intellectual property violations or placement@ or oss@
These usually make sense to those in the know
Help the community
Keeps us in scope of the 10 Principles
Marnee and Katie from Government Relations
LNT and Environmental Protection
Earth Guardians / Black Rock Rangers / Playa Restoration
Provides Education
Addresses Leaks and Fluids on the Playa
Look out for your neighbors
LE (Law Enforcement)
BLM / Pershing County Sherriff Office (PCSO) – on playa
Unified Command / Emergency Response
Decommodification – Katie
BLM has strict requirement
Venders MUST be part of the OSS program
Housing for payment is Eliminated
Plug n Play, Mobile Homes Delivered, etc
Traffic Safety – Katie
Speed limits are very important
NO VENDORS at EMPIRE in 2023
Starchild on Sustainability
There was a lot about fuel and solar ideas
Harley and Level on RIDE
New dimension this year goes to Sign Language and Blind Burners
There were a lot of stats and a strong focus on BIPOC that they say made up 13% of the population based on the Census
LGBT burners got an honorable mention with notes that the Queerborhoods are at 4:30 and 7:30
Like I said, there was a lot to cram into a one hour meeting. And there was a lot missing in the conversation. The RIDE message from the BMorg has never sat well with me, because their focus seems to be on the visible spectrum of Diversity. With 13% BIPOC as a statistic and a desperation to get those numbers up over everyone else it is because those are accountable stats because every picture taken at Burning Man is not all white CIS people. Even having Blind and Deaf participants getting recognition, it is still a visible commodity to be used in the sale of Burning Man as an event and an ideology.
How can someone in the middle of 80k people be lonely at Burning Man? It’s hard to imagine that it is even possible, while for some the gathering in the desert is the ultimate in participation and social engagement, it can play a harsh toll on body and mind. Connections are extremely important and many of us go the burn to something this amazing to dance and rejoice in a community with principles we can all relate to. The reason we do these kinds of things is to build community and relate to other humans that are different from ourselves.
One of the most important things for me, that brought me into Burning Man was the intention to have better relationships with women. I feel like I achieved that, but subsequently I learned a lot more about other people in the LGBTQIA spectrum and the community at-large. My connections to humans have deepened to see and respect people from all walks of life and self identity.
In 2019, I held an event in my camp called “Being Lonely at Burning Man” and the turn-out was small, but really powerful. For an event that never made it to the What Where When, getting this amazing group together to walk through a connection and intention setting safe space was purely magical. Out of the group, I remember a beautiful young woman in particular who couldn’t find the connections she wanted and needed in the rush of people. Maybe an afternoon at the Land of Monkey Theme Camp helped with that a bit. But, after a long time talking things through and sharing with a circle of people we finished with a group hug that raised all of us up.
It was later in the week so for many of us that Dopamine was in short supply and the rays of the sun were taking their toll.
In fifteen years of burning, as a camp leader, artist, community cheerleader, I have found myself feeling very alone even in a circle of people I was burning with. Hence, the impetuous of writing a post like this. With a case of severe social anxiety that was basically undiagnosed (along with PTSD from sexual assault) my own mountain was steep in my minds eye. I learned that very many of my fellow Burners were really going through the same thing.
I managed Theme Camps for most of a decade. I also created a few other channels of Burner gatherings inside and outside the Queerburner community for years. My theory was that if I could not participate because of my internal limitations, I would create spaces where I had ownership/investment so I had no choice but to engage. It was very impowering and freeing of those anxieties. At least, until I couldn’t.
Even with 20, 30, 40 or more people who joined me in my camp annually, I often felt abandoned and alone and turned to things that were not healthy to deal with the loneliness.
The impulse to be angry in a place of fight or flight was often the result and may have signaled my own crisis moments.
For me, life in 2018 began sliding off the rails with my personal relationship and my parents health. I became my mother’s caregiver and not long after my step-dad died and a year later in 2020 my mom passed on, too. My PTSD was diagnosed in the same year and I have been on a radical journey since peeling back those layers and coming to terms with social anxiety as well.
If you know me, I can stand in front of a room of people and talk like any TED talk. The truth was that the demons inside my thoughts were preventing me from ever thinking I was good enough. The ego and pride of seeing myself how I thought everyone else saw me was only my problem and delusion. When I see other people in the same boat all I can do it empathize and be patient for them.
Todays epiphany is that you have to put yourself out there to make any kind of connections. Not to oversimplify something very complicated, but I am offering a little advice to ponder. Getting good mental health guidance! I was in mental health treatment for years before the PTSD diagnosis came into focus. Use your sources wherever you are do not be afraid to ask for help.
In the United States dial 988 for the National Suicide Hotline
ALERT!!!! Burning Man Placement has removed the LGBTQAI option on their events submissions and replaced it with “Diversity…” which sounds great on paper, but that step backwards in the promotion of queer events is not going to deter us. In the interest of Radical Self Reliance, please edit/add #LGBT in your event writeup to guarantee (as much as we can) being placed in our own version of the What Where When for Queer Camps as a focus. AND it will help the person writing the Time to Burn Ap as well. Otherwise, we no longer have a way of noting specific LGBT events that we might not already know of… our first source for sourcing queer camps will be the Queerburners Directory at www.queerburners.org/directory
Like, c’mon… who are they talking to on decisions like this? It’s like adding Queer to the census and suddenly every hippie on the playa wanted to be queer to be a part of the story of the outsider. Flag waiving is not cutting it anymore. Actions over words. This change was a bad choice.
The people that end up really screwed are people new to the burn looking for their tribe and might feel really alone when it comes to getting a gay fix of human interaction. I’ve seen this so many times. It is not always obvious where the queers are. And, there are still a lot of clueless people who have no idea that the Queerborhood is there. Any way you look at it, Burning Man is still a very hetero streamed event and diversity is still lacking in many many ways. (Rant completed)
2023 Queerburners Event Guide – Download PDF (29.6MB)
If you are planning an event for Burning Man that will be of interest to LGBTQIA+ burners, you’ll want to know about this. This year, Queerburners will be distributing a downloadable, printable guide to all the queer events and camps on playa.
You might have seen the version that was available in hardcopy at the Future Turtles camp bar in 2022. This year, it will be expanded and made available to everyone, with the goal of including all the scheduled LGBTQIA+ programming. There are some requirements and deadlines for all of that detailed below.
First step, if you haven’t already, please register your theme camp at the Queerburners Camp Directory on www.queerburners.org/directory ASAP. This is a great resource for people looking to connect with Queer camps and find their tribes while burning. It will lead to new and amazing campers you might not have found otherwise, because Queerburners is the #1 resource that shows up on any search when people look up Burning Man and LGBT.
What defines an LGBTQIA+ Camp or an Ally Camp?
LGBTQIA+ Camps have a majority of these marginalized groups that include, but are not limited to, the letters of this age-old acronym. They are often part of the Queerborhoods of Black Rock City. LGBTQAI Camps are camps where a majority of the camp identifies as LGBTQAI or similar marginalized people. These camps exist for safety and community representation and are all radically inclusive agents of the Burning Man Culture as a whole.
Ally Camps are camps that are community partners and might have Queer people represented however do not create events that represent queer culture as a focus of their mission. Ally camps will provide shelter and Safe Space for marginalized people in need of safety. How do I submit my events to get into the guide?
First, you have to submit your events to the WHAT, WHERE, WHEN through Burning Man’s official Playa Events site. They are accepting submissions from June 22-29th only.
Although most events submitted there will not make it into the What Where When printed guide, due to lack of space, we will publish all LGBTQIA+ events that you submit in the Queerburners Events Guide.
How do we know what’s an LGBTQIA+ event? We will include events that are at any camp in the Queerburners Directory, but not at an “Ally” camps because those events are probably not queer focused. In addition, any event that is marked as an LGBTQIA2S event in Playa Events, no matter where it is held, will be included.
Behind the scenes, Burning Man has a cool API that we use to get a complete listing of all events, and this is where we’ll get your event information from. This is the same data that the Time to Burn app uses.
Where do you get a copy of this guide?
The Queerburners Event Guide will be distributed publicly as a PDF that you can print at your convenience. This will happen in August. Watch for our August newsletter for the announcement.
What about the fancy Queerburner Map I have been seeing around?
The Map will be included in the guide. There will be a chance for you to download the full color version and print it separately as well. How do you get listed on the map? Get in the directory!
Hello Queerdos everywhere! This is Starduster along with Toaster reminding you about a Queerburners event so relaxing, fun, and affordable you’d definitely regret not going – unless, of course, you really have your shit together and already made other plans! Eventbrite Now
Starduster at EPR in 2021 checking out the site at a peak moment in drought. Things are much greener now.
Are you still looking for an easy and chill Memorial Weekend getaway specifically for LGBTQIA+ people from all over Northern California? Then bring your camping gear and some friends to East Park Reservoir for a three-night Spring Campout, organized by Queerburners, a 501(c)(3) nonpofit organization.
Are you ready to take a break from all those outrageously priced, EMD-pulsing, highly-decorated, and body culture-obsessed gatherings and events trending within the intersection of Burning Man and Queer communities?
We love, love, love all our digital native, Burner, straight and gay brethen so much! Just look at everyone’s preferred pronowns declared on practically every Zoom call these days. But our entertainment budgets simply don’t include much in the areas of glamping gear, chauffeured commutes, catered cuisine, or diesel-driven disco whether or not we can actually afford them (exceptions for DJ equipment, renewable power, LED tech, and a little dab of Day-Glo).
All hyperbole aside, we absolutely love that type of event and the talented lovelies who produce and attend them. But Queerburners cares about your pronouns and yourpocketbooks!
At Queerburners events we resist social and financial stratification and LGBTQIA+ isolation through community building that centers the regularly-resourced (and still fabulous) rainbow of gay & lesbian, cis, transgender & non-binary queerdos (and all their pronouns).
At our Spring Campout there will be folks from some of the gayest theme camps at Burning Man and other similarly-oriented, queer civic and social groups from the Bay Area and beyond. Think swimming, boating, and hammock-swinging by day and picnic table dining and campfire singalongs by night.
Workshops, group activities, variety shows, etc are welcome! This event will take whatever form the community shapes it into! Blinky lights, radical couture, and bikes? Yes! Children and dogs? Bring ’em! Pulsing music and intense partying? Well hey, if that’s your happy place then bring it on and we all can go there, too (until 10pm when quiet hours kick in)!
This is a Ten Principles event! More information also at Queerburners.org or reach out to Starduster (Events Director for Queerburners) with questions at events@Queerburners.org.
I was recently reminded that I used to write out a whole trip report about what I saw at the burn and about this community that I am so passionate about. To that end, this was the strangest burn I ever had because I did things I never did before. This post is not about me, but as seen through my eyes for 2022 that is disconnected from my usual experience because this is my first year NOT camping in either of the Queerborhoods. I spent most of my time visiting friends at Comfort & Joy. And when I needed shelter and down time, I also went to C&J. But in the end I ended up leaving on Friday before burn night on my seventh day in Black Rock City.
As noted above, I left the event days earlier than planned because I was not really prepared for the 2022 burn. Consider that I started in 2008 and have been to Black Rock City quite a few times, but each time I was part of, or running, a theme camp. This time I was basically on my own. I should have done better, but it seems I was not the only one who forgot how to burn.
My take on the city was that it was as beautiful as ever. This year we had 2 Queerborhoods that were intentionally set and dubbed East Village and West Village. The road to making those villages happen was interesting to watch from the sidelines. And operating in the shadow of the Cultural Direction Setting project by burning man in 2020 and 2021, it made that evolution even more interesting to watch from a certain point of view. My POV was that there was a lot of bigger, better, and more.
Any of those things mentioned in the above confusing? If not, skip to the next paragraph. In 2019 I was recruited into a group called the Cultural Direction Setting Team started by Burning Man with a mission to better define expectations of camps and our community. A big part of that was dealing with the troublesome big money camps that had no connection to the Burning Man ethos. But, another part of that was asking current camp leaders to get current and new camp leadership to up their game.
East Village was a Queerborhood space at 4:30 and D +/- with BAAAHS as the anchor camp.
West Village was the Queerborhood at 7:30 and D +/- with Comfort & Joy as the anchor camp.
The City
2022 was my first year as a Ranger. It was my first year not being a camp lead. I got out to the city more than usual. And, in the course of rangering I got to directly engage tons of people and exploring on a level I never have before. The city was alive, thriving, and though I know a lot of people had a hard time it seems there were a lot of successes. But, a lot of people left about the same time I did. Sadly, I missed the burn on Saturday and Sunday that I wanted really bad to be a part of.
I made a map of the city before I left and shared it with a lot of people. I am about to start the new one for 2023. And it seemed a lot of people really liked it, so I am going to make it bigger and better for the future. Queerburners has some exciting plans for a new queer guide in 2023 and everyone will see it in living color.
The Community
This is a topic that is of the highest importance to me, personally. It is one of the 10 Principles that is the reason I am a part of this idea of Burning Man. The importance of coming together is a human need. Watching some of these amazing and successful things people have created with the support of the community fills my soul. Specifically, and most recently, The Afterlife art that was on the playa in 2022 and elements of it will be at the BAAAHS campout this coming weekend.
That speaks with a focus on out LGBTQIA participants, which is important to me because there is a marked lack of safety for queer people. We have the Queerborhood for a lot of reasons that have been hashed out in this blog over and over. Collaborations are the pinnacle of success in my opinion. One of my favorite was the party that Mudskippers did featuring Whitney Houston* that grew in popularity over the years.
Another space usually close to the Queerborhood is Golden Guy Alley. This concept is the future of Burning Man, crating small vignettes you can only get to on foot based on the Japanese Golden Gui Alley, but more fun. Last year Tom’s Bar made its debut featuring the art and style of Tom Of Finland. When I walked in I was gagged (not that way) to see the bartenders were all burners I knew from all the corners of the Burnerverse COLLABAPORATION and COMMUNTIY!!!!
Being a Ranger
So, 2022 saw a lot of new rangers on playa and I was one of them. It was obsoletely one of the best choices I made. I would encourage more queer people to submit on the Burning Man Volunteer page as a ranger and go through the training. It will improve you life. I am not kidding. I get your toaster pin … for obvious reasons! Ha ha ha ha ha.
On a more serious note…
One of my initial goals with joining this community was to better my relationships with women. Over time I found a lot of women in this community as strong, brilliant, bright lights that were supportive and made really good friends. My learning curve was a very wide arch and I am still learning. Yes I made mistakes but the only way to improve is by actively listening and doing better through my actions and my words.
This evolving I mentioned gave me stronger ties to people who are trans, non-binary, and many still figuring things out. I have fully embraced people in a more loving way, though again, I am still growing.
What is your intention? Go to the burn with an intention and a promise to honor the ten principles. Throw yourselves into a project, a camp, or some kind of service outside yourself. Yes, there is an amazing party going on, but making it better for someone else will raise your own social credit and happiness is catchy.
We are in the heat of the season for festivals and preparation for Burning Man. Next week is EDC is Vegas, the BAAAHS Campout is coming up. So much happening all at once and it is so exciting, especially after 3 years of being trapped in our caves. Our organization became a non-profit during that same down time in 2020 and we have been working behind the curtain to develop what we could with the welfare of our community one-hundred percent in the focus of that goal.
When we wrote the vision statement for our organization, it was Nexus who helped us create that where we said essentially: our mission is complete when the community no longer needs what we are working for. Some might say, well, what have you been working on? Our primary mission is creating safe and accountable spaces and providing access for people from all walks of life. We almost always us NOTAFLOF (No One Turned Away For Lack Of Funds) when we talk about pricing and always make every effort to make sure all of our community is represented.
Last year we were able to produce an amazing series called the Rainbow Leadership Series in 4 parts that was held on Zoom. We gave away Grants for the first time to some great projects. When we wanted to do a camping event, it seemed that people were not ready for that so we decided to wait a year.
This year (2023) we tried to repeat that progress. Either our voices (meaning me and the board) are not reaching people through our Facebook Channel, Twitter, Insta, and Mailchimp, or people have moved on and don’t need what we are doing anymore. At the end of May 2023 we had two events planned that no one responded to. I ran into one of the biggest voices of this community this week amd when we spoke they did not know anything about it, so where did we go wrong?
The only way Queerburners works it through it’s participants. Everyone has a voice here and those of us on the board are very good about keeping things balanced. Why? Because all of us see the world from different places and do not always agree, but we have a common goal and work together well. If a person is disruptive to that, they made their own exit. But, we work well together with a collective process of sharing and having the safety of expressing an opinion or feeling.
As the current chair and founder of Queerburners, I have not always been an ideal leader, but I hope people can always feel safe talking to me and carrying the banner that was initially raised in 2008 and accomplished so much! If you want to contribute and help us develop programming for the community that supports all across the rainbow, please send us an email to info [at] queerburners [dot] org
