CONSENT
Consent applies to all types of interactions with two or more people (hugging, talking, touching, dancing, sex, sitting near someone…)
Unanimous, explicit and renewable
- Any interaction (physical or otherwise) requires EXPLICIT consent of all persons involved in the exchange.
- Consent should always be CLEAR, VERBAL, BEFORE action and RENEWABLE.
- Consent can be withdrawn at any time: any interaction can be stopped at any time by those involved, without justification.
- In search of the enthusiastic YES
- Each person strives to find conditions in an interaction that produce an authentic & enthusiastic YES, before and during the interaction.
- If you are not 100% sure you want an interaction, it may be better to stay in a NO.
- A NO is a complete answer and does not require any justification or explanation. When everyone wishes it, it is certainly possible to negotiate to find an ENTHUSIASTIC YES.
4. Nudity, clothing, costume or behaviour DOES NOT constitute an invitation to any interaction.
- Consent must be FREE and CONSCIOUS. A person who is asleep or under duress is not consenting. Taking substances (alcohol, drugs, cannabis…) or even sexual energy and physical intimacy can also alter consciousness. So you need to be all the more vigilant if you use a psychoactive substance or interact with a person or persons in an altered state of consciousness.
All involved clearly understand what they are committing to by accepting the interaction: Consent must be informed.
- Collective responsibility Like the other principles, consent is everyone’s responsibility. The L’OsstidBurn community is committed to embodying these principles in a caring way, and to ensuring that they are upheld, as an actor and as a witness. Each individual is responsible for validating and verifying the consent of their partners, for clearly naming their YES and NO, and for respecting expressed limits at all times.
Adherence to these principles guarantees a safe space for everyone to name and to assert their NO
WHAT TO DO IF YOU WITNESS OR EXPERIENCE A VIOLATION OF CONSENT?
- If a participant seems to make people uncomfortable or exceeds explicitly agreed limits, feel free to express it openly.
- If you do not feel comfortable acting, approach the Rangers.
- If you feel at risk yourself, leave the situation immediately, and go find the Sentinels or Rangers.
- Please inform the Rangers of any inappropriate behaviour.
- The Organization reserves the right to expel any person whose behaviour is inappropriate.
- After the event, if you’d like to inform us of any breach of consent, you can do so by sending us an email at [email protected]
PHOTOGRAPHY
Photographing and filming participants without their consent is prohibited. Remember to ask before taking pictures!
Respect the ‘No photography’ or ‘Pas de photo’ signs.
PARENTS
PREPARE YOUR KIDS. Let your kids know in advance about the kind of things they might see and hear. Nudity, iconoclastic art, rude language and weird behaviour are all part of the event.
When you get to L’OsstidBurn, walk around with them and identify landmarks that will help them navigate and be safe. Show them Safety HQ and speak to the Rangers. Children can show up at Safety HQ if they get lost.
The members of the consent committee for the 2024 edition are Roxanne Hallal, Chandra Schecter, Antonia Simpson, Meddy Brai, Matthew Higginbotham, Victoire Pognon et Anna VDK.