We’re doing it…

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We are blessed and we are working to make this magic every year. As queer people going to the playa we have a specific goal : let’s do it again next year but better. Some of us the execution of those ideas is easier than others. Find the right people around that are the right “coo” to your coo.

Queer Burners [dot] Com

Is getting a redo right now, if you have not noticed all the changes slowly taking shape on it. This should be a resource for you. This is not political, but there are some discussions and notes about some shitty things. But mostly it is about great things and doing super cool things to make Burning Man better for you, your friends and your community.

LAWeekly Article
Tom and Pretzel are genius (click to see better)

Tom and Pretzel are FAMOUS!

Both boys hail out of the Glamcocks now. Tom used to be more with BAAAHS but I think he has gone full poly-camping. Both are vivacious and spirited young men who I have seen work themselves into a stupor to make a project go well whether it was their own or helping with someone else’s success.

They got a nice pat and on the tushie from www.LAWeekly.com this week because of a piece of art they created at Burning Man. The art piece will also be seen at the upcoming San Francisco Decompression at Pier 70 where, thanks to the same two wunderkinds there will be a recreation of the Gayborhood at this usually very hetero-centric event.

Decom 2017 in San Francisco

Several camps have banded together to create a mini Gaybohood at the event in San Francsico with BAAAHS (the Big Ass Awesome Amazing Homosexual Sheep) or better Pearl (the bus that is the shaven version of the sheep, will be the center of the attraction. camps participating include but not limited to:

  • BAAAHS
  • Glamcocks
  • Sun Guardians
  • Mystopia
  • Camp Beaverton/Gender Blender
  • AstroPups
  • Vietnamese Iced Coffee Experience
  • Paradise Motel

Come join us at Pier 70 on October 14th. Link to Facebook spiel. (link) Ticket prices are kinda high but they are at a new venue that sounds very exciting.

October 2017

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Its been a busy past couple months and I want to thank everyone who has been sticking around. Joining and registering on this site should mean something and I have been hoping to make it worth everyones while for a long time. #1 is that you can come here and get information about what is going on out there. That includes:

  • Links to camp information
  • Links to local information
  • What Queer Burners is up to near or far from you
  • …and more to come.

The bimonthly news letter we started last year has been put away for lack of interest. We gave it a shot a while so we are back to this and Facebook. The Facebook gets A LOT of attention and all those links are here for your use. Stay turned, more to come.

July 1 News Letter out June 30

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The by monthly news letter went out on June 30th to launch the weekend and let people know about coming events.

July 4th Weekend

It’s time for fireworks and picnics in the park. Patriotism is probably along party lines this year, but with this full on launch into summer I hope everyone has an amazing and blessed holiday weekend. Be safe out there. Drive safe out there. Live, Love and Laugh as much as you can. And for those headed out for the 4th of Juplaya … you so lucky! – Toaster & Queer Burners

In this issue of the monthly news letter:

  • Is this Newsletter worth it?
  • Placement Announced for 2017
  • 2017 Queer Camps List
  • Events
  • The Mechanics: How this email works

Hello… is anyone out there?

Is this news letter a value to the community? Our total list has swollen in the last couple days to 735 getting this email from 720ish. Frankly it has been at the same number for almost a year. Yet, as much pertinent information possible is collected and assembled 2x a month. As a backup many of the news letters have been published on our web site (www.QueerBurners.Com).

With some changes coming to the whole Queer Burners structure coming this year, this is also a chance for the community to be more directly involved and have a say in all publications and services offered by this site. Be the change you want to be.

Queer Burners Mission is simple: “A Mission of Building Community and Leadership”

Placement Announced

What exciting and earlier than anticipated news! According to Trippi Longstalking in a recent letter from Placement, the Placement announcements would not be out til the beginning of July. But that changed just a few days ago when we all started getting email notifications (as camp leaders) that … well, shit is going down. And that FILLED the air with excitement.

…and then as usual a map was created to try and give some reference to where camps were at and IF a semblance of the Queer Neighborhood would be kept in tact. There were A LOT OF REASONS to be worried. We lost Answergirl and especially Hepkitten this year who (to my knowledge) were among our strongest advocates. We have had awesome relationships with Placement but when the team changed so drastically this year we could only guess at what that might lead to.

Thank fully the Queer Neighborhood is present, but fractured in spite of the grouping shown. We have good proximity, but that is really not a Placement issue. As hard as it is to say, it is really up to people filling out the applications to be clear with what camps they want to be placed. If you wrote “I need to be in the Gayborhood”… there is no OFFICIAL Gayborhood so there is nothing for a Placer to latch on to. In many cases they do not know which camps are queer/gay/lesbian/trans or not. A stronger Queer Community means we have to be more on topic with our requests.

2017 Queer Burners Camp List

A new list is published today with a different format for best practices on the site. It will be live this afternoon. It is not too late to be added to it, but the graphic above can only hold so much. . Check out the 2017 Queer Burners Page on our web site. 

Events

This is a list of events we know about:

BURNING MAN 2017 – Hot Events

Submit your events for the news letter in the link below.

The Mechanics

Thank you to everyone who has contributed and helped keep this network thriving. As we get closer to event season there is room for more people to play in this garden. If you sign up on the Queer Burners web site and are verified, then you too can write posts and continue conversations relevant to the community at large. Thank you to so many of you.

Mid June News Letter

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PRIDE MONTH!

It is the Summer of Love & Pride in San Francisco. There are so many amazing events they can’t ALL fit in here! Wherever your Pride is, this month or any other, please  enjoy it!!!

In this issue of the monthly news letter:

  • All Of Us event report
  • Announcements
  • 2017 Queer Camps List
  • Events
  • The Mechanics: How this email works

All Of Us

Our 3rd year with this event and our first using this branding has yielded unparalleled success.  Our team did such an amazing job on the production and it really was an amazing team effort.

Announcements

Burning Man is coming up quickly and in July the Placement department will start spelling out the city layout. Just this week Burning Man opened the listing for the What Where When booklets and camps submitted their planned events for the burn.

  • There are no plans for BRC Pride events except for a fun run organized by a Beaverton member. See BRC Pride on Facebook for links and info.
  • Here we are in Pride Month and nothing planned for Burning Man this year. If anyone wants to do more please go to BRC Pride on Facebook.

2017 Queer Burners Camp List

The list is taking shape and camps are seriously gearing up to get ready for “Radical Ritual” Burning Man 2017. Do not be one of those people who wait til the last minute to commit because you WILL be left out. Check out the 2017 Queer Burners Page on our web site. 

Events

This is a list of events we know about:

Submit your events for the news letter in the link below.

The Mechanics

Thank you to everyone who has contributed and helped keep this network thriving. As we get closer to event season there is room for more people to play in this garden. If you sign up on the Queer Burners web site and are verified, then you too can write posts and continue conversations relevant to the community at large. Thank you to so many of you.

All Of Us was fucking awesome

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So, it’s been a week now since All Of Us ended. Many of the people involved in the magic are off doing the ALC (AIDS Life Cycle) ride from San Francisco to L.A.. So, as I write the official report on the event about money and critical things I await the details to fill in those pieces on the other web site. (www.lgbtproduction.org)

The event opened on Thursday noon and went through Monday noon after Memorial Day. It was the longest weekend we attempted before. It worked out well for so many! The space at www.saratogasprings.com was absolutely perfect. We have just under 150 people come out and thank goodness we managed to just break even on expenses versus income.

A Great Week

While these lovely people at the jacuzzi do not represent the diversity we had, we are proud that All Of Us brought a lot of new faces to the event. It was glorious…

There was a pop-up Jacuzzi party hosted by thee (in spirit) Whitney Houston on Thursday evening. It was a naked soirée in the hot water and it was fabulous. There were all kinds of wonderful human in the mix and the music was fantastic. The Jacuzzi was the most popular spot on the land at the end of any day – no wonder it was turning green by Sunday afternoon.

Each day progressed with a new layer of loveliness and unimaginable brilliance among all those who came out. There was so much love, uninhibited embrace, with no matter who was there or gender. We were blessed that our demographic did change on some level with a lot more women and gender non-conforming people that fit together and celebrated.

On a couple notes, there was a detailed waiver everyone signed when coming in and part of it talked about respecting other people and their boundaries. We did have a moment when someone was talking about trans-people openly with real trans persons just a few feet away and it was wrong and hurtful. We also talked about boundaries for consent and as it turned out someone did not heed that either. Someone was violated and we simply cannot allow those things to happen in our community. All Of Us is about unity and inclusiveness.

DJ Jason Godfrey on Decks at the back of the BAAAHS bus and next to The Journey
DJ Jason Godfrey on Decks at the back of the BAAAHS bus and next to The Journey

The Journey

The crown jewel of the event was the 30 foot long piece of this art piece going to Burning Man in 2017. Dan Reeves was the original visionary and his team of amazing humans who came out and set this up. It was celebrated every night!

It was part of the Art Garden that we had set up in front of the Heart Lodge along with Squares by Steve Dudek and Frames by www.visualsby3.com that was a great collection of installation pieces.

Friday night was a party at the art piece and the DJ’s sis an amazing job. The art was outstanding. The energy was awe-inspiring.

Saturday saw the majority of the workshops in all three tracks of the weekend while The Journey folks did live screen printing in front of the main Lodge. The Journey folks even set up a bar and served drinks as they did their magic.

  • Mental / Physical Health and Self Care
  • Acculturation and the 10 Principles
  • Leadership

The workshops were amazing and well orchestrated. The information was invaluable. We shared some amazing ideas and performed some exercises that made our participation and community stronger.

Meal Time

The food was amazing as well. Thank you to Jose for another year of delicious offerings. While we may have fell down on some of the vegetarian options we will do even better next year. But happily everyone got fed and our food and beverage team did a great job in the end. We are grateful that Jose came up from Mexico once again to help us!

We did daily Brunch and Dinner with snacks in between. The kitchen team seemed to be able to take it more easy this year which I was very glad for.

They even served hot dogs and snacks at the Sunday Pool Party (SPF) with bacon wrapped around them and on buns. Event the veggie dogs had a veggie bacon on them. Someone was heard saying: “They are really committed to bacon.” Well, this is a burner event, right?

Thank you to everyone who helped with volunteering.  The weekend could not happen without you. While we had some paid positions, many gave their time and energy to make this event happen. Who profited from it? Well, no one did. All the money that was left over is being folded back into the community.

The Gate ran flawlessly thanks to an amazing team there. Exodus was went just as smoothly. It with a sincere and deeply held feeling of appreciation to everyone to helped in making the magic either by being there or getting us there.

May Bi Monthly News Letter P2

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It’s mid may and we are heading deep into Festival Season and Gay Pride. The year passes at such a high velocity some times it is hard to keep up with the latest and the greatest. Here is our quick and dirty attempt.

In this issue of the monthly news letter:

  • All Of Us Update
  • 2017 Queer Camps List
  • Events
  • The Mechanics: How this email works

All Of Us

Many thanks to the many people who bought the many tickets to the most amazing event we have ever produced. Literally, we have a catalog of things for the weekend that are beyond the anything we could have imagined over the last couple years. We will miss Groundswell for sure, but this new area is larger and wider with more amenities. Not quite surviving in the desert, but why not treat yourself before that happens… right?

 

What was formerly the Queer Burner Retreat is now All Of Us event. It is the only regional style event in the world focused on LGBTQ++ participants in the Burning Man culture. It is a 10 Principles based event with a mission of fostering Community & Leadership. We also seek to see others rise into their own in whatever forms they take that goes to the next level of participation and doing.

  • ALL PARTICIPANTS must have legal identification when checking in at the gate showing they are at least 18 years or older.
  • Everyone will have to complete a waiver agreement when coming in. It would be really helpful if you had it printed and filled out before you came – LINKED HERE
  • Need a ride or can offer one? Sign-up on the Carpool – LINKED HERE
  • Sign up early for your volunteer role – LINKED HERE
  • Sign up for workshops – LINKED HERE
  • Housing / Food Needs – LINKED HERE

The waiver has some language in it that is very important. Please look it over carefully. And yes, in order to come into the event it must be completed with your identification. All participants will have to wear a colored bracelet upon check in:

  • 1 color if under 21
  • another color if 21 plus
  • and/or another if you do not want to appear in photos or video

We want everyone to feel safe and welcome.

Some quick facts:

  • IF you are in a bed you MUST have bedding. There is a place to order it on the Eventbrite. Or, you may be required to buy it when you arrive unless you have your own.
  • Bring your own towels, toiletries, cup … just like going to Burning Man
  • SCREEN PRINTING at ALL OF US!!! Bring a t-shirt or garment for large screen prints
    “The Journey” is printing art logo prints and the All Of Us Official Logo
    You can bring t-shirts, coats, anything that can take screen printing
  • There are 2 meals a day : 10 am Brunch & 6:30 Dinner : & snacks
  • There is a lot of activities from amazing hiking to pool and jacuzzi space
  • This is a clothing optional event (except in dining room and kitchen)
  • NO GLASS is allowed in the pool area at any time
  • SMOKING IN DESIGNATED AREAS ONLY
  • Bring your favorite bottle(s) for you and to share with your fellow campers along with any desired mixers. There is no open bar… but I bet someone will share. But… radical self reliance… BRING A CUP makes it a lot easier
    *anyone giving persons under 21 alcohol will be asked to leave *

2017 Queer Burners Camp List

The list is taking shape and camps are seriously gearing up to get ready for “Radical Ritual” Burning Man 2017. Do not be one of those people who wait til the last minute to commit because you WILL be left out. Check out the 2017 Queer Burners Page on our web site. 

Events

This is a list of events we know about:

Submit your events for the news letter in the link below.

The Mechanics

Thank you to everyone who has contributed and helped keep this network thriving. As we get closer to event season there is room for more people to play in this garden. If you sign up on the Queer Burners web site and are verified, then you too can write posts and continue conversations relevant to the community at large. Thank you to so many of you.

ALL OF US IMPORTANT EMAIL

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So this list of important things went out on 5/16 for All Of Us and only got 63% opens. While that is good for 1 day everyone must have this information for when they arrive. It is extremely helpful if the clicks are there before you arrive for classes, volunteering and the other stuff… all very important. Please take a looksie:

All Of Us event 2017

UPPER LAKE, CALIFORNIA

This email has links and information about many important factors when preparing for the event. This includes ride share and getting involved through the week. This is a 10 principle event which means everyone is expected to help out a little each day for:
1. Community Engagement
2. Immediacy
3. LNT – Leave No Trace
4. Radical Self Reliance
5. Radical Inclusion
So help us out by being prepared mentally and physically so we can present an amazing event designed with you in mind.

In just a matter of days it all happens once again. What was formerly the Queer Burner Retreat is now All Of Us event. It is the only regional style event in the world focused on LGBTQ++ participants in the Burning Man culture. It is a 10 Principles based event with a mission of fostering Community & Leadership. We also seek to see others rise into their own in whatever forms they take that goes to the next level of participation and doing.

  • ALL PARTICIPANTS must have legal identification when checking in at the gate showing they are at least 18 years or older.
  • Everyone will have to complete a waiver agreement when coming in. It would be really helpful if you had it printed and filled out before you came – LINKED HERE
  • Need a ride or can offer one? Sign-up on the Carpool – LINKED HERE
  • Sign up early for your volunteer role – LINKED HERE
  • Sign up for workshops – LINKED HERE
  • Housing / Food Needs – LINKED HERE

The waiver has some language in it that is very important. Please look it over carefully. And yes, in order to come into the event it must be completed with your identification. All participants will have to wear a colored bracelet upon check in:

  • 1 color if under 21
  • another color if 21 plus
  • and/or another if you do not want to appear in photos or video

We want everyone to feel safe and welcome.

Some quick facts:

  • IF you are in a bed you MUST have bedding. There is a place to order it on the Eventbrite. Or, you may be required to buy it when you arrive unless you have your own.
  • Bring your own towels, toiletries, cup … just like going to Burning Man
  • SCREEN PRINTING at ALL OF US!!! Bring a t-shirt or garment for large screen prints
    “The Journey” is printing art logo prints and the All Of Us Official Logo
    You can bring t-shirts, coats, anything that can take screen printing
  • There are 2 meals a day : 10 am Brunch & 6:30 Dinner : & snacks
  • There is a lot of activities from amazing hiking to pool and jacuzzi space
  • This is a clothing optional event (except in dining room and kitchen)
  • NO GLASS is allowed in the pool area at any time
  • SMOKING IN DESIGNATED AREAS ONLY
  • Bring your favorite bottle(s) for you and to share with your fellow campers along with any desired mixers. There is no open bar… but I bet someone will share. But… radical self reliance… BRING A CUP makes it a lot easier
    *anyone giving persons under 21 alcohol will be asked to leave *

May 2017 News Letter

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It’s already a week into May and this news letter is just getting out. That’s right, it’s a busy month for all of us. Speaking of which: ALL OF US is just days away! I bet you are dying to know how you can get out there and get tickets to this amazing thing! Keep reading …

In this issue of the monthly news letter:

  • All Of Us Update
  • 2017 Queer Camps List
  • Events
  • The Mechanics: How this email works

All Of Us

An email is coming out in a few days to the attendees of the event with some important information. There are the usual event like things in it, but events like this are very rare. As for hype, the truth is there is no other 10 Principles event that is made for LGBTQ people specifically. It is an extension of community and gathering that will hopefully inspire others to carry that flag further.

Yes, there will be limited ticket sales at the gate, but we need advance sales so we can adequately plan for food and services.

 

2017 Queer Burners Camp List

The list is taking shape and camps are seriously gearing up to get ready for “Radical Ritual” Burning Man 2017. Do not be one of those people who wait til the last minute to commit because you WILL be left out. Check out the 2017 Queer Burners Page on our web site. 

Events

This is a list of events we know about:

Submit your events for the news letter in the link below.

The Mechanics

Thank you to everyone who has contributed and helped keep this network thriving. As we get closer to event season there is room for more people to play in this garden. If you sign up on the Queer Burners web site and are verified, then you too can write posts and continue conversations relevant to the community at large. Thank you to so many of you.

April 2017 Part 2 News Letter

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There is a new voice to the posts on Queer Burners and soon some new looks. Check out some of the latests posts and be sure to consider one of your own. Just let the admin know you are posting so we can make sure it gets out there. Posts only, please.

In this issue of the monthly news letter:

  • All Of Us Update
  • Burning Man Global Leadership Event in Oakland
  • 2017 Queer Camps List
  • Events
  • The Mechanics: How this email works

All Of Us

Full steam ahead. Don’t wait too long to get your tickets. And, stay in touch to see all the super mazing things that are happening [click] with all our banners for all the cool stuff!

Burning Man Global Leadership Event in Oakland

Want to know a wee bit more about the GLC and the Gayborhood. How are we responsible for our own future? Here is a nice follow up from the previous post [click].

2017 Queer Burners Camp List

The list is taking shape and camps are seriously gearing up to get ready for “Radical Ritual” Burning Man 2017. Do not be one of those people who wait til the last minute to commit because you WILL be left out. Check out the 2017 Queer Burners Page on our web site. 

Events

This is a list of events we know about:

Submit your events for the news letter in the link below.

The Mechanics

Thank you to everyone who has contributed and helped keep this network thriving. As we get closer to event season there is room for more people to play in this garden. If you sign up on the Queer Burners web site and are verified, then you too can write posts and continue conversations relevant to the community at large. Thank you to so many of you.

GLC: What about it?

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The Global Leadership Conference hosted by Burning Man in Oakland at the beginning of the month was an amazing experience. This was my 5th or 6th one. When one starts forgetting those details then it feels like maybe it’s time to slow down? IDK… but I was super grateful to see so many people there.

People have since asked regarding the last post: “GLC: Gayborhood Broken Up?” questions like where is the queer representation at BMorg? With the Census showing an LGBTQ population hovering about 30% [2016 Report] of Black Rock City are we represented in the org the same way? When it comes to Ethnic Diversity and other populations anyone can ask the same question.

After my experience at the GLC and my interactions with BMorg there is a resounding yes (regarding representation), but there are some consistent problems with the BMorg as far as being able to react to Sexual Identity and Ethnic needs in the community that are slowly getting the recognition they have sorely needed over the years.

This is my 9th year in the community and when I tell you I have seen some real shit hit the fan, I have. BUT, I have also seen certain bodies of the BMorg really bounce right back to save the moment. There are some heroes up there.

The Conference

Let’s focus on some of the positives. This year there were more community leaders brought into the fold than ever before. This also included Theme Camp leaders and more diverse community leaders with various agendas. While some of these agendas were Ethnic, some were about Disability Access, and others were about creating new space to commune and make community.

Not to harp on myself, but my first GLC was as a Community Leader for the Las Vegas community and then each year following I went to talk about the Gayborhood. I also talked vigorously about safety for queers and women which is already documented well in the scope of this site.

There were queer leaders from all over the country. Many of whom lead Queer Burner regional message boards listed here on this site. It is also fair to say, without outing anyone who is not ready to be outed, that there are top level people who identify as LGBTQ.

We have many many allies, but that does not mean we have a free pass. Queer Burners as a community has to toil and resolve issues like everyone else in the community. There are issues we have to fight against but that is minutia compared to the scope of what we do for a week out of the year and how we bring Burning Man ideology to our communities.

And that is the key! Burning Man mission statement has been pared down to something very simple about bringing the 10 Principles to the world and creating community with that. Burners Without Boards and the Burning Man Project have been the pivot point on all that.

Us v. Them

Thinking there is an ‘us versus them mentality’ is not really conducive to a positive outcome. There is no such thing. If we want something from this community, we have to ask or demand it. If it happens through our Theme Camp Applications or where we spend our money then those are strong voices.

  • Going back to the Gayborhood question: Radical Self Reliance means we have to put in our applications who we want to be camped near and where.
  • If queers feel unsafe at Burning Man because of dangers growing out of a surging tourist culture then there are other places to spend and get value from that $425 dollar ticket.
  • If the dissolution of 10 Principles ideology is making it hard to be part of the burn, then become an activist and use Immediacy to start your own – thing.

As with any institution there are ways to work within the scope of the community or with our freedom; we can make our own. For many of us Burning Man is something we cherish. We might see some scars but the bigger picture is the value of those few days a year we get to create something amazing.

Schedules

The GLC had a lot of sessions that were very valuable. If you can go next year then by all means go. As this was my 5th or 6th year it has become almost a 2nd Burning Man trip for me… without the dust. I have allies that are there as well as people who would see my work torn apart.

I will post about the workshops and some feedback about them in my next post.

Conclusion

Sorry about the brevity and lack of content in this post. I wanted to share some thoughts about what I perceive as our individual responsibilities in this community to our goals in the Burning Man Community. Queer Burners comes in behind that somewhere as well as your Theme Camp and Yourself in any order that works for you.

We get what we petition for. If this is a chorus rather than one guy shouting like a crazy guy in the street that is very different. If we want the Gayborhood then we have to ask for it. We have to find our strategic partner camps and unite with them and put that in the application.

As far as who is representing us at Burning Man we have a lot of strong voices. For every twenty people there is maybe 1 neigh-sayer. We really do have more allies than not. The only thing I would like to discourage is letting other people be your voice… be your own voice and be heard.