Three female friends and their campmates who jetsetted off to the desert for the Burning Man bash spoke about its lame Orgy Dome, long lectures on consent and the contradicting debauchery at the festival.
A first-timer at the culture and arts event that saw some 70,000 revelers met up with her best friend Jes and Jes’ girlfriend, Ryan, for the eight-day party in the temporary city known as the playa, north of Reno, Nevada.
The fresh burner said she went into the festival with the impression it would be ‘like Woodstock with less shade’ mixed in with ‘some weird sex stuff,’ reveler Zoë wrote for Business Insider.
One of her campmates complained that the ‘Orgy Dome is so boring’ and men and women are required to listen through a ‘long lecture about consent.’
Models Ludi Delfino and Abby Neff pose for photos in front of a burning piece of artwork at Burning Man at Burning Man in Reno, Nevada on August 30, 2018
Dani Dukes of New Mexico and Jenni Lucero of Seattle dance atop an RV trailer as the sun sets on Burning Man on August 31
Hundreds of Burning Man participants dressed up like bunnies march down the street as part of an annual ‘chase’ between bunnies and carrots
Dancers enjoy Burning Man beneath a sign cautioning them to stay focused on August 29
Burning Man has been a source of rampant sexual harassment and assault since it first kicked off in the eighties – with 2018 marking in its first year since the start of the #MeToo movement.
One of Zoë’s campmates said of the kinky dome that she had ‘to wait in line forever’ and ‘once you get in, it’s mostly just couples laying around.’ She added that ‘it’s the most organized sex you’ll ever have in your life.’
Another friend agreed, and chimed to suggest the dome is a great place to take a solid nap.
Outside the Orgy Dome, debauchery unfolds.
This includes ‘naked women wielding leather paddles implore bystanders to pull their pants down for a spanking’ and ‘couples bedecked in feathers and dust masks’ in preparation for their adventure inside the dome.
A scene at Burning Man 2018 shows a ‘LOVE’ sign in the Nevada desert
Women are shown at Burning Man the morning of August 29
The general view from a very dusty opening day at Burning Man on August 26
‘Nudity is ubiquitous, and informally enforced in bizarre and ridiculous ways.
‘Several ramshackle bars require women to bare their breasts if they wish to drink there. “I had to show my penis to get a snow cone yesterday,” a man in our camp confides.’
More questionable, there is a ‘small sampling of activities available [such as] fellatio contests, something advertised as “p—y massages”‘ and ‘genital prints made in the “traditional Japanese method.”‘
There is such thing as a Slut Olympics and a ‘Bubbles and Boobs VIP Party’ that is advertised as ‘Bring your boobs!’
A eclectic workshop at the festival allows revelers to learn how to ‘write erotic poetry in binary code (010101).’
Many meals consisted of chili with a side of MDMA, warm Modelo, sardines and pickles.
One campmate said:”I think I’m immune to drugs. I’ve taken so much LSD that it no longer has any effect on me.’
The girlfriends were ‘looking haggard’ and ‘feeling more than a little unhealthy’ by midweek.
Zoë recalled the desert air that reeked of weed and mothballs with ‘throbbing EDM music’ that blared at all hours.
Right next to a spiritual foot wash booth, there was a sign that promoted abortions at no cost.
‘Anything and everything you could imagine exists here… at the Healing Foot Wash down the road, you can wash your neighbor’s feet and hear all about the love of your prospective savior Jesus Christ.
‘Just blocks from the Healing Foot Wash, another camp’s sign announces “Free Abortions!” with the words “No minors allowed!” scrawled in marker underneath.’
And just minutes down the road, toddlers played at Kindergarten Kamp.
‘While he majority of burners appear to be lithe fitness models in sparkly bootie shorts, a small portion of attendees are kids in superhero capes, grandmothers in motorized wheelchairs, and elderly, white-haired men, some of whom comprise a roaming group of naked Santas.
Zoë said overall, Burning Man is ‘is like being at a family reunion after coming out of a coma except every member of your family is an extremely attractive yoga instructor.’
A Burning Man participant rides past an art installation in the desert on August 30