Disabled or Sufferng with Body Issues at Burning Man

[DoriumLux]

I was wondering this, and have been for sometime...
Do people feel more generally accepted at Burning Man more so than they do in everyday life or simply less aware of it at the event?

After attending Burning Man for 10 years, I decided I hated it a couple years ago. I was riding my bike around feeling jaded until I came cross a party where I saw a man covered in severe burn scars over his entire body to the point his face was hardly recognizable. He was dancing in a costume having a fantastic time and everyone around him seemed to not notice and be enjoying themselves as well. It dawned on me how rare this scene was, and how judgmental society can be. How people tend to gawk and stare at people that might be different, but at Burning Man this was totally not the case (at least in my eyes). I literally fell back in love again with Burning Man. I am curious if people who have issues or perceive themselves as being different really feel more acceptance at the burn (less staring, less awkward questions or avoidance) than they would in their day to day lives or if I am just very misinformed and perceptions are off?

[Roberto Dobbisano]

it's nice to not stand out and to feel like you belong.

[media]

[BBadger]

Well some people "ignore and enjoy themselves" too as a form of "politeness." Where you'll see people gawking and opinionated is when they're in their cars, seemingly isolated from the judgement of the rest of society.

What I think was important was that the man felt that he could enjoy himself out there like that. Then again, maybe that's just his outlook on life too, not just that he was at the event and it made it happen.

But to your point: I do think people are more accepting out there, and that the concept is reinforced by others too. It's also nice to stand out and feel like you belong, and that environment seems to foster that.

[Ratty]

I'm 61 and don't go clubbing in the City anymore. I'm in great shape and love to dance so I do alot of that at TTITD. I don't give my age another thought for the entire week. I've never felt out of place or shunned at the burn so yeah. I think as a whole, Burners are more accepting.

[Lonesomebri]

There is too much to gawk at as it is. And removed from the pettiness of the worldly grind, our own insecurities of belonging left behind, the celebration of the unusual and odd, having outrageous fun, the costumes, the body modifications, bus sized speakers, the explosions… the perceived negative novelty of any particular individuals body doesn’t have alot of place to stand, unless we’re dealing with shirt-cockers.

[BBadger]

There is too much to gawk at as it is. And removed from the pettiness of the worldly grind, our own insecurities of belonging left behind, the celebration of the unusual and odd, having outrageous fun, the costumes, the body modifications, bus sized speakers, the explosions… the perceived negative novelty of any particular individuals body doesn’t have alot of place to stand, unless we’re dealing with shirt-cockers.

Got that right! I remember reading on here someone asking whether she should wear bike shorts (to prevent chaffing) and if it'd attract ridicule. Holy shit, if people don't "approve" they'll look at something else. Moreover there are 60,000 other people who could not care less or enjoy the diversity.

But shirt cockers... I'm not sure if that's the kind of diversity we're trying to promote. They may start breaking into alternative subgroups like "shirt-boners" or something too. Yo man, I just took 3 pills of Viagra. I am literally SO HIGH! Say hello to my friend here!

[theCryptofishist]

The worst I can remember is the guy at the bar one day who kept trying to convince me that my body was beautiful and natural and I shouldn't be ashamed to show it. And I always hated that smarmy encouragement shit, not real. And I wasn't going to go naked, because the skin graft sites are delicate and can't handle the sun.

I guess that I still evoke the reaction "she needs help" on or off the playa. But that wasn't the question.

[Eric]

The worst I can remember is the guy at the bar one day who kept trying to convince me that my body was beautiful and natural and I shouldn't be ashamed to show it. And I always hated that smarmy encouragement shit, not real. And I wasn't going to go naked, because the skin graft sites are delicate and can't handle the sun.

Anytime someone tells me to go naked (or that I "should be comfortable naked" in some form), I tell them to go fuck themselves. I am perfectly comfortable in what I am wearing, and have probably spent time before the Burn planning my outfits for style & (usually) comfort. I dress pretty much the same way on & off playa (other than the fact that I wear t-shirts in public on-playa, which I rarely ever do off), and fully support everyones level of "comfort" and amount of skin exposed.

If you want to be polite, you could phrase it: "thank you, but go fuck yourself. I don't tell you how to dress, I don't need to be told how I should dress". At least I think that's more polite...

[Captain Goddammit]

Woooohoooo EEEERRRRIC! Take it off! Take it AALLLLL off!!



ok I'll go fuck myself now

[Elderberry]

I don't usually go naked on playa, but I like the fact that I could if and when I wanted to. That was one of the most intriguing things about San Francisco, and i was sad that they changed the law.

[delle]

I'm going to take a different approach to this.

I'm a 50-something with all the sags and extra flaps that come from being just a tad to sedentary most of the time. Nonethless I often find myself in various states of dis-dress.

Even dressed, my face can be seen as war-torn -- depending on sleep and state of mind. Not always particularly pretty to look at.

The one thing that hit me immediately and that I celebrate the most during my week in the desert is that NO-ONE seems to care!!!

I get looked at in the eye. Deeply. I have amazing conversations that just obliterate social protocols outside of this event. I feel free and accepted and unjudged .


The interesting thing, of course, is that I HAVE been judged.

In the flash of an eye I have been categorized as that girl who you are not going to try to flatter ad nauseum in the hopes of sleeping with. Rather than uncomfortably doing that dance together, a much more fluid and harmonious dance ensues. One that usually ends with real, heartfelt hugs of thanks for a precious sharing of something real.

We play the B side together, and go ''Wow. Haven't enjoyed that one in a while!!!''

Which leads me to somehow feel sad for the young and exceptionally beautiful, whose experience - although most assuredly absolutely AWESOME for some, may also be missing some very special depth... That sickly predictable A side - over and over and over again.

It'd be interesting to hear that story too.

[tatonka]

Dang Delle I judged you to be 37 or so

[delle]

It was the playa dust in my smiling teeth....

[BBadger]

That is weird... I thought Delle was in her early 30s.

After M&G I realized just how wrong my impressions of peoples' ages and genders were.

[delle]

Good lord people - will you stop fucking undermining my point??

(tho you both got points anyway... you know you did)

[delle]

(Ànd thanks for not saying something like ''Gosh, you really seemed more like 12 to me''. That's a whole 'nother story)

[Patsh]

Wow, Delle...

by my calculations, you're five years younger than dirt...

[theCryptofishist]

The worst I can remember is the guy at the bar one day who kept trying to convince me that my body was beautiful and natural and I shouldn't be ashamed to show it. And I always hated that smarmy encouragement shit, not real. And I wasn't going to go naked, because the skin graft sites are delicate and can't handle the sun.

Anytime someone tells me to go naked (or that I "should be comfortable naked" in some form), I tell them to go fuck themselves. I am perfectly comfortable in what I am wearing, and have probably spent time before the Burn planning my outfits for style & (usually) comfort. I dress pretty much the same way on & off playa (other than the fact that I wear t-shirts in public on-playa, which I rarely ever do off), and fully support everyones level of "comfort" and amount of skin exposed.

If you want to be polite, you could phrase it: "thank you, but go fuck yourself. I don't tell you how to dress, I don't need to be told how I should dress". At least I think that's more polite...

It was that oddly icky "I'm going to reassure this poor woman that she's still a child of god" maybe trying to get into my pants, but certainly not saying anything in any way that was at all appealing to me. I thought he was an ass. Plus the whole thing was just weird.

[delle]

And isn't the absence of appealing words just the most absolute deal breaker?

Fuck ignorance.

(or not, in this case...)

[Savannah]

That is weird... I thought Delle was in her early 30s.

After M&G I realized just how wrong my impressions of peoples' ages and genders were.

We all had you wrong, too.

[unjonharley]

Yesterday I saw a person that weighed 1/2-3/4 of a ton..

We were at the VA hospital.. I felt pity for the person.. How uncomfortable they must be..She was sitting on a cart in a row of wheel chair amputees..

[Captain Goddammit]

I first met unjonharley about 6 years ago. I thought he would be a doo doo head.
But I was wrong.... he was an ugly doo doo head. Maybe that's why we get along.

[delle]

I learned this year not to shout in Unjon's vicinity.

I will never be able to unsee the pain on his face. I had no idea he wore hearing aids.

[Dr. Pyro]

According to the Huffington Post, the heaviest woman is Pauline Potter, who weighs in at 643 pounds. That is a far cry from the 1000 to 1500 pounds Unjonharley mentioned. That is factually absurd.

[ygmir]

Good lord people - will you stop fucking undermining my point??

(tho you both got points anyway... you know you did)

I think the point is you're a great alarm clock!! *rubbing ankle subconsciously *

[Captain Goddammit]

I learned this year not to shout in Unjon's vicinity.

I will never be able to unsee the pain on his face. I had no idea he wore hearing aids.

Hmm that's funny. He is never wearing his hearing aids when I'm around.
And yet there's still pain on his face when he hears me speak.

[BBadger]

Hmm that's funny. He is never wearing his hearing aids when I'm around.
And yet there's still pain on his face when he hears me speak.

Maybe you just need a breath mint.

[unjonharley]

I learned this year not to shout in Unjon's vicinity.

I will never be able to unsee the pain on his face. I had no idea he wore hearing aids.

Hmm that's funny. He is never wearing his hearing aids when I'm around.
And yet there's still pain on his face when he hears me speak.

Cap, The pain in the ass you give me is worse..

[Captain Goddammit]

Oh I'm not touching that one...

[delle]

Oh I'm not touching that one...

...''again'', you mean...