BurningMan, written by a Gay Man, from San Francisco, after my 6th Burn.
chadjam...@aol.com
I was and for some, still am a Gay Pornstar, making over 30 gay porn videos some 20 years ago.
I'm lucky, as I'm reaching an age in life that so many of colleagues have not, as I turn 52 this OCT 2009.
I have been living with HIV since 1989, so am a long term survivor, I feel great, and vital. Some of that comes from becoming
a "Burner", whether it be at Black Rock City, San Francisco, or the World.
I agree with you on one thing: Burning Man is uber-progressive.
From there I want to say, Your impressions of Burning Man are yours, and certainly don't match my experience. But that is a
true ism of life, is it not? We all experience life through our own filters of beliefs.
You say:
Burning Man isn't free of social norms at all. The Playa fills up almost exclusively with 20-40 year-old economically
privileged white heterosexual people, the majority of whom exist on a fairly narrow swath of the political spectrum: the
place where hippie meets libertarian.
Your calling Burners heterosexual sure ignores a rather large homosexual, bi-sexual, and those who don't or won't categorize
themselves in such a western way. I can count at least 5 rather large Gay Boy Camps, including Comfort and Joy (based in SF),
Astro-Pups, Quicky Lube, The Down-Low, etc.
How could you ignore us in such a way, perhaps you only see your own kind, Life is very much a mirror of ourselves or so say
most spiritual teachers including 12 step (AA).
I would say that since Burning Man is a creation of San Francisco, the rather large Gay Population of SF has been attracted
to Burning Man from here, I feel very represented as a self proclaimed Fag. Plus, Burning Man is "Artsy", and what Fag
doesn't love that?!
You say: Then there's the stuff they take: the labor- and transportation-intensive costumes created for one-time use, the DIY
climate control machines, the generators, the fire dancing, the drugs (which, with the possible exception of marijuana aren't
green...at all), the packaging, the bottled water, etc. Some of the art is made of reused and/or reusable materials, which is
great, but some of it isn't. I wouldn't expect DaVinci to limit himself to reused materials, but let's be honest: Most of the
"art" of the man is just "look at this cool thing I made" for the Man. And, really, watching a giant hunk of wood and
whatever else burn just for kicks is the epitome of wastefulness.
One time use of costumes, Are you a one time Burner? If I have spent time on some "Playa Wear", I'm not just going to wear or
use it one time, oh no, I don't have the resources for that.
Water? Most of us take large jugs and fill them in Reno.
You say: Burning Man is, at heart, a party�and it's one that thousands of people drive hundreds of miles to get to. It's
great that they clean up after themselves when they're done, but driving that far to have a good time just plain ain't green.
Party? Yeah, Baby, Burning Man is the Best Party on Earth.
I will not apologize for that.
Humans even Liberal Hippie Green Burner Fags need to kick up their heels and dance!
Did you dance?
Did you keep your eyes open and look around the dance floor, for when I "eye-gaze" on a BRC dance floor, I get smiles back,
from happy people, with their usual guards down, it's fantastic!
I make friends every year.
From folks all over the World, but many of them, from right here in San Francisco.
Community!
I believe Burning Man gives me a community beyond my Gay Community.
Beyond my City of San Francisco Community.
You say: So why do Burners drive out to the middle of nowhere to have fun, especially since so many of them hail from the
same 2-3 cities? Because the natural world there�which is flat and barren�won't upstage their ego-shows. I don't mean that
quite as harshly as it sounds�we all have egos, of course, and not everything that we do to feed them is inherently bad. But
nature offers a radically different perspective on the ego: It makes you feel like a small part of something much bigger,
which, empirical evidence suggests, does wonders for the psyche.
I'd venture that no matter how fantastic your costume, if you stand in front of Niagara Falls you'll feel silly. I'd further
venture that not that many people would stop to look at you.
I think the environment that Black Rock City becomes in beautiful, sure in a odd Mars like way. Have you seen the Sun set
behind the west Mountain? It takes my breath away. Have you watched the Moon come up over the bigger East Mountain? A Full
Moon, like this year. My Partner took at least 5 photos of that event this past year, just beautiful! (They're uploaded on
Facebook, BTW).
I saw the Milky Way for my very first time, on my 2nd Burn, that was in 2005. Have you looked up to see past the lights of
Black Rock City at night? Oh my Gosh, It's incredible, almost as incredible as Niagara Falls, or Yosemite or Joshua Tree.
You say: I'm sure the Burners reading this would protest that the festival is physically away from the everyday world so that
participants can get psychologically away from the everyday world. But going outside of nature to do it overlooks the answer
that's been there all along. Our human and social norms seem limiting and arbitrary because, well, they are. What's not
limiting and arbitrary? The complex forces and landscapes and patterns and interactions of the huge planet that we live on.
The one that made us. And pretending not to see that is as silly as some of the costumes on display.
Silly Costumes?! LOL. You sure see a different Burn than I do. I see handsome beautiful people of all kinds and ages, str8,
gay, Bi, Poly.
Going to Burning Man, is an annual return to a place where I feel ageless, more like a 25 year old. I feel sexy because of
Burning Man. I prepare for this annual ritual. I go to the Gym, with this event in mind. I create my own art with this in
mind. I make "Gifts", to give out, and make another Burner smile. Priceless.
Sure the desert is harsh.
It's dusty.
And a bit of a drive from SF or anywhere, even from Reno.
But what it gives me and others to be a better person, makes it worth-while, that bit of freedom, creativity, and fun helps
make my life better. What more should we want from a vacation? Or Ritual, our Mecca.
LOL, you say: Burners: Ready, aim, fire!
Okay, I will...
Ego you say? Yours perhaps or Mine. Oh, We all suffer with it. I'm one of the worse, so I can easily see it when reading or
looking at others, as that's where I am in my own Spiritual Evolution. WE all suffer from the bonds of our own Egos, so I
invite you to come to SF's Decompression Street Fair (11OCT2009),
http://www.burningman.com/blackrockcity_yearround/special_events/decompression/decom2009.html and be open to the
wonderful community of Burning Man, minus playa dust, and all those international visitors to the USA.
I enjoy the study of a couple of books: The Four Agreements, and A Course in Miracles.Take a look at those books Cameron
Scot, then go back to Burning Man, or maybe you might just go to Disneyland, perhaps a Cruise, Yes indeed.
I learn many lessons about myself at Burning Man.
I learn a lot of acceptance.
There goes that Spiritual/12 step business again, LOL.
And Finally: Burning Man is one of the most romantic (and sexy) places on Earth. I'm happy to say, that Burning Man is like a
2nd honeymoon for my partner and I every year, we just get closer to one another and that's worth the price of admission
alone.
Signed:
Chad James, aka Bill
CC:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ChadJames
PS: One thing I learned at Burning Man, I pick up litter and trash no matter where I go, therefore now, my street in Noe
Valley is one the cleanest streets in the city of San Francisco.
PSS: Thanks for reading, May I "gift" you? I have a very nice oval bumper sticker with BRC, (Black Rock City, NV), if you're
interested, I can mail it to you, or if you want to have coffee, I'll bring my laptop and we can look at Burning Man photos!
(grin).
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Burning Man is one of my BIG interests!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_man
Hott Bunz
I could not agree with you more. I wanted to contribute some of my own experience, especially w/
regards to costumes. A very large amjority of fabulous outfits are of re-used clothing. You can
get ab-fab stuff at Goodwill or other second-hand stores, but a huge portion of my ever-growing
trunk of playa outfits comes from BRC. There are always 3, 4, or 5 camps that are 'boutiques' - Kostume
Kult, Reno Housewives, Sex Filth Avenue, to name a few. I have a great faux-fur pink jacket that
I picked up at my second burn to go with the pink skirt from my first burn, and I completed the
ensemble with a pink belt I found at my third. I have worn that skirt every burn. One of my favorite
items was a 3/4 length skirt, subdued blue pattern. It is SO comfortable, not THAT feminine, and
just perfect for BRC. I wear it every year. I got a sparkly vest I wear with my old 2nd hand tux
i embelished with some sparkly bits from an old broken necklace, etc. And I see that MOST outfits
are similarly "vintage".
2009 was my 4th Burn. The 1st was absolutely magical, the 2nd a huge challenge (2006 was very hot
and dusty, my tent collapsed - I struggled to have a good time), and the last two were great again.
I LOVE the people - everyone is nice, has a smile, and is non-judgemental - I can be myself and
dress in what I like that day whether it's pink or leather or hot pants or nothing at all. I'm very
sad that Cameron does not feel the community spirit. Mind you, the whole atmosphere changes starting
Friday when the frat boys come for hte freak show and to get drunk. Maybe that was his attitude as well?
Cheers
Oliver
PS: Bill - I did not see you this year at the World Naked Bike Ride or the Angry Dick March - both were fun