70,000 humans repopulated the Playa for Burning Man 2015, which drew to a close Monday, and if you were a gay among them, you probably pitched a tent, shared an RV with friends, or hung out one of the theme camps, maybe in Black Rock’s very own Gayborhood. Just like the IRL, you can go ghetto at Burning Man.
Located on the clock at 7:30 & D, gay ground zero spreads over an area about the size of boystowns in comparably libertine cities, 10 or 12 square blocks of homo camps like Wiener Zoo & Pussy Aquarium, Bearin’ Oasis, The Dead Pirates, Gaylactic Invaders Village, Water Boys, Camp Beaverton, Gender Blender, Burner Buddies, Diva Nation, Lil Crack Whores, Meowtown, Mack Hookup Truck, Camp Get Nailed and Poly Paradise. There’s something for everyone, even if you didn’t know you wanted it.
Here’s an illustrated list of some favorite gay camps 2015, where boys & men burned, humped, vogued, found an old boyfriend or a married a new one, just like at home. But way better…
Astropups
The Gayborhood’s front porch since 2001, the Astropups welcome “wayward strays on a hot afternoon, either in a lively conversation in our public living room, or crashing in a restful snooze in our fun-fur lined playpen/chill space.” Grrrrr. 2015 camp theme: Warp Station Alpha.
Bïërdhäüs
Beardy.
BloAsis Village
A loose collection of camps including Pussy Aquarium, Bearin’ Oasis and The Dead Pirates. Look for “Ceremonial Bitch Kneeding performed with almost Tea Ceremony Zen Realness, Daily at the BloAsisian ‘Throwing Shade’ Structure!” Pretty at night.
Camp Conception
Art types populate this off-playa arts collective: “Situated between a large figurative egg and a field of eager sperm, we exist in the present moment, bring spontaneity and multiple media. Dance, arts, love, experiment and exploration begin to take form.” In 2012, the sperm were green.
Celestial Bodies
With a nod to the cosmos and your fine ass, Celestial Bodies “are a fun-loving, straight-friendly theme camp in the Gayborhood. We serve up a delicious and refreshingly-iced Playa Cosmo – our signature cocktail on the playa – every day in our comfy lounge.” Also ass tattoos.
Comfort & Joy
Big on sex and art in either order, Comfort & Joy is “dedicated to promoting queer culture, expression, self-actualization and community by acting as a mutual-support society for our members’ various projects.” You take the one on the right. Wig.
Down Low Club
As advertised, plus: “As Down Low Club theme camp was founded by orphans of other (often dysfunctional) camps, it’s membership has grown organically by including other orphans and Burners dedicated to Burning Man’s 10 Principles. Therefore, we offer a safe haven, shelter, meals, water and etc for Burners who find themselves in situations caused by camp dysfunction, lack of preparedness and other factors.” Nice.
GlamCocks
GlamCocks are maybe the biggest gay camp, probably the whitest?, and definitely the most social media savvy, not counting billionaire turnkey camps on private apps. Members get a profile page on the GlamCocks site like Grindr meets The Bachelorette. “We create spaces that are welcoming, fun, whimsical, glamorous, transformational, and memorable for all!” Speedo.
Homojitoville
Hemingway liked Mojitos: “A mirage appears in deep Playa. The aroma of fresh icy Homojitos stimulates your hypothalamus. Giant bright puffy flowers belt out groovy dance beats. Leave it to serendipity and the boys of Homojitoville! Always on the move, the Mobile Homojito Dance Bar and Sound Garden of Eden appears randomly, erupting in a fabulous cocktail and dance party, then disappears. Never in the same place twice, this is no mirage. Shake your groove thing where spontaneity rules! Bring us your cup, we’ll fill it with love. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any gayer . . . Homojitoville!” Then he fell off his stool.
Paradise Motel
Popular Paradise Motel, “the most garish of roadside motels,” invites weary travelers “to stop in for a SNOW CONE and enjoy some progressive beats while lounging by the ‘pool’.” What’s in there? Also featuring “Clothing optional YOGA.”
Vietnamese Iced Coffee Experience
VICE, or the Vietnamese Iced Coffee Experience, describes itself as an “all inclusive Burning Man Theme Camp. We encourage diversity, participation, and acceptance and welcome new members from all locales and walk of life.” They’re also a piece of camp theatre, literally, with a Saigon-era Vietnamese canteen, naked volleyball like the grunts used to play, and at least one high maintenance comfort girl. We likey.
Bauhaus
Seems a bit like adult spring break and gay fraternity row rolled into one (no complaints). The shirtless lad in genie pants, just above Paradise Motel – young, but yum!
Bauhaus
@Bauhaus:
The legs for days in the last two photos is gorgeous. Wow.
Antonio Strazzullo
Omer Rosen
Timothy Jones
I can’t understand why a bunch of people would want to go out to the middle of the nevada desert and watch a giant stick man burn
Joe Payer
Zena Durham wow !!
avesraggiana
My ex-boyfriend was a committed “Burner”. He was also a certifiable narcissist. My associating him with Burning Man makes me never ever want to go.
David Parker
it’s ruined now, was so wonderful so many years ago…just fools come to stare now
jwtraveler
@Timothy Jones: It looks like a wonderful, wild time. Everyone looks so happy. And I love all the hot, natural-looking men who don’t have cookie-cutter bodies.
Thomas Scofield
I was looking for a glimpse of you Jonathan. :- 😉
Sammy Schlipshit
Gee, where are the elder, fat men?
I do wonder if all those boys just pick up their ‘attitudes’ from their city ghettos and move it all to the desert.
juliansorl
Doesn’t David Geffen know anyone his own age?
nmharleyrider
@Timothy Jones: You got me there.
Clark35
@David Parker: True, it was a lot better decades ago. Now it’s just full of rich people who think they’re being edgy by going to the middle of nowhere in the Nevada desert to take lots of drugs.
Finrod
I have friends who have gone at various times since the beginning. The people who went ten years ago claim that it’s been ruined by the people who go now. The people who went 20 years ago claimed that it had been ruined by the people who went ten years ago. Don’t even get me started on the people who went when it was in San Francisco in the 80s.
Burners are an awful lot like older people who want the youngsters to get off their lawn. Every new generation is exponentially worse than one’s own, which was of course, perfect.
JaredNorthcutt30
When are the lesbians going to see topless pictures, Queerty? And when will you stop pretending this is a un-NSFW family site?
jaredvxd
The headline seems a little misleading with so many photos and descriptions reused from prior years. 🙁
Stache99
@Sammy Schlipshit: They’re there. It’s just they’re invisible to Queerty’s eyes.
JD Scalzo
yes Cody Chance Enicke
Robert Salazar
James one of these guys in the gay section has an uncanny resemblance to you. Just saying.
Captain Obvious
Doesn’t really look fun or interesting.
SoNHGuy
@avesraggiana: O.M.G. So is mine! What’s up with that?!