Zumwalt Campground is our home away from home, a place where we step out of the default world. At ZCG we are among old friends and meet new people who are like family. For a weekend we get to see a glimpse of utopia.
Unfortunately, sometimes people who don’t quite understand that the precious experience we share is built on acceptance and respect. It seems rare (we have no statistics) but unwanted sexual attention and encounters do happen. Sexual harassment, unwanted contact, let alone violence are not acceptable at Zumwalt Campground. It harms the victim, it harms the community, and it can get you in the back of a sheriff’s car.
Sexual harassment is unwanted sexual advances or sexually-charged remarks made toward another person. It can happen to all types of people (men included!), and it can occur between friends and acquaintances as well as between strangers. Sexual harassment is harmful because it makes those who are harassed feel unsafe, targeted, and vulnerable. Harassment that doesn’t seem sexual can still make a person feel uncomfortable in their body. Remarks about someone’s gender, race, age, body type, physical ability, etc. also have the potential to be deeply hurtful.
Unfortunately, sometimes people who don’t quite understand that the precious experience we share is built on acceptance and respect. It seems rare (we have no statistics) but unwanted sexual attention and encounters do happen. Sexual harassment, unwanted contact, let alone violence are not acceptable at Zumwalt Campground. It harms the victim, it harms the community, and it can get you in the back of a sheriff’s car.
Sexual harassment is unwanted sexual advances or sexually-charged remarks made toward another person. It can happen to all types of people (men included!), and it can occur between friends and acquaintances as well as between strangers. Sexual harassment is harmful because it makes those who are harassed feel unsafe, targeted, and vulnerable. Harassment that doesn’t seem sexual can still make a person feel uncomfortable in their body. Remarks about someone’s gender, race, age, body type, physical ability, etc. also have the potential to be deeply hurtful.
- Do not make unsolicited sexual remarks or comments about someone else’s body.
- However it’s intended, unsolicited sexual comments about somebody else’s body may not feel like a compliment to the person you’re saying them to.
- Don’t touch anyone without their enthusiastic consent. Respecting personal boundaries is key. This also goes for touches that aren’t intended to be sexual.
Getting consent is sexy!
Each and every one of us is responsible for helping make ZCG a safe, welcoming place. Keep these tips in mind and share them with your friends and campmates. Everyone can be part of the solution!
Much of this page on sexual harassment was borrowed from an August 2015 post to the Burning Man blog. Many thanks to Bonnie Ruberg, a six-year Burner, university instructor and a queer community organizer in the Bay Area, and Gigi-D L’Amour, a founding member of and volunteer coordinator for the Bureau of Erotic Discourse at BRC.
- Don’t take photos of someone without their consent. You might be surprised how often people seem to think this doesn’t apply to women they find attractive. No amount of clothing (or lack thereof) makes it okay to snap a photo without asking, period.
- Always take “no” for an answer. Sometimes, the friendliest, sexiest thing you can do is respect someone else’s boundaries. If they say “no thanks” to any of the above, don’t push the issue and don’t get mad. Rather, say “thank you” for their clear communication of what they do and don’t want.
Each and every one of us is responsible for helping make ZCG a safe, welcoming place. Keep these tips in mind and share them with your friends and campmates. Everyone can be part of the solution!
Much of this page on sexual harassment was borrowed from an August 2015 post to the Burning Man blog. Many thanks to Bonnie Ruberg, a six-year Burner, university instructor and a queer community organizer in the Bay Area, and Gigi-D L’Amour, a founding member of and volunteer coordinator for the Bureau of Erotic Discourse at BRC.