Introducing Camp Autostraddle

click for more on a-camp

In July 2010, I woke up at 3am and wrote “CAMP – THIS WILL BE OUR THING” on a notepad I keep by my bed for nocturnal moments of genius. I can’t remember precisely what thoughts I was thinking before I thought the thought about camp, but I remember all the thoughts we’ve had since as the project has expanded and become a team effort.

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What Would Autostraddle Look Like in 3-D?

Here’s the idea: a few hundred of you, 20 of us, and a beautiful group retreat site in the mountains. We’ve cherry picked the things we like about other queer women’s events and vacations — hilarious comedy, diverse panels, the occasional dance party and the chance to revel in one another’s awesomeness — added heaps of our own original ideas, and found a way to serve it to you for a fraction of what those other events cost.

It’s an opportunity for you to discover new things about yourself, enhance your relationships within the international queer community, make new friends forever, support Autostraddle, and, you know — get away from your laptop for three days!

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A-Camp: A Place Where You Can Be Yourself

We feel like there’s a void out there for awesome queer women who desperately wanna meet each other and experience the magic of communing with like minds, but aren’t into beer-soaked pool parties and can’t swing cruises to the Bahamas. Our original idea was to hold Camp a few times a year, for 4-7 days each time, in different locations, but that seemed like a huge thing to dive into, thus . . .

The First Ever A-Camp Weekend was born!! It’s a pilot run that gives all of us a chance to determine the website’s future!

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Details:

When: Thursday April 26th – Sunday April 29th, 2012

Where: Alpine Meadows Retreat Center in Angelus Oaks, California. It’s 1.5 hours from Palm Springs, 2 hours from Los Angeles, 2.5 hours from San Diego, 4 hours from Las Vegas, 5 hours from Phoenix and 8 hours from San Francisco. We’ll be running shuttles from LAX to the campsite all day on April 26th and shuttles back to LAX on April 29th.

Lodging: You’ll be having the bestest biggest surprise slumber party of your life in fully insulated, carpeted & heated cabins with private bathroom/showers/baths and generously-sized bunk beds.

Just $50 down reserves your spot!

Cost: $300

Your Cost Includes:

* 3 nights lodging
* 3 meals a day and snacks (with vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and kosher options)
* Full access to a variety of daytime programming situations, including typical camp stuff like crafts and sports as well as workshops and panels with AS Teamasters
* World-Class Night-time Entertainment: The entire event will be MC’ed by world’s funniest duo, Julie Goldman and Brandy Howard
* Gift bag with exclusive Camp-Only Autostraddle T-shirt you can sell on ebay in ~4 years

Also:

* Memories that will last a lifetime, probably longer
* Staff dedicated to all of your feelings or lack thereof
* Be an active part of the group that determines the future of A-Camp

Who: You guys! You guys are really gonna like each other! All ages welcome/encouraged! ALSO:

Also — Camp TeaMasters will be Robin & Marni/bcw, and your “counselors” and workshop leaders presently include, confirmed: comediennes/actresses/writers Julie Goldman & Brandy Howard, actress/singer Haviland Stillwell, actress/producer Sarah Croce, actress/writer Ashley Reed, Internet Superstar Chef Hannah Hart of My Drunk Kitchen, Stylist Sara Medd, DJ/filmmaker Carlytron, Fashion Icon Fitforafemme and world famous photographer Robin Roemer as well as Riese, Laneia, Crystal, Annika, Taylor, Katrina, Emily, Whitney, Intern Hot Laura, Alex, Lizz, Brittani, Bren, Gabby, Jess S., Intern Grace, Carmen, Kelsey and Stef.

In addition to having life-changing conversations around a campfire with some of the coolest girls you’ll ever meet, you’ll have tons of activities, workshops, groups and panel discussions to choose from every day.

We’re here, you’re queer, it’s family.

We’ll roll out information and take requests regarding programming over the next several weeks, but rest assured there will be so many fun things to do if you wanna do stuff, like:

 Lesbian Feminist Jeopardy

Writing workshops with Rachel & Riese

Basketball! Hiking! Arts & Crafts! Cooking! Yoga! Speed-Dating!

Photography with Robin

High Ropes Course, Climbing Tower and Zip Line

Unicorn Plan-It Hollywood Show

Queer Women of Color Panel

 Formspring LIVE! with Riese, Laneia, Rachel, Crystal, Taylor, Lizz and Alex

The diversity in our programming will reflect the diversity of our content — shit that makes you laugh, shit that makes you think, and shit that makes you wanna change the world.

YES I’M IN. WHAT DO I DO?

1. Put down a $50 deposit and/or put down the entire $300 to secure your spot ASAP. There’s limited space, and we expect this’ll fill up quickly. Deposits are non-refundable, but they are transferrable. (This also makes a great last minute Valentine’s Day present!)

2. You’ll provide us with some basic information while making your deposit or payment this week. In two weeks, you’ll be asked for a lot more information about things like your t-shirt size, flight times and bunking needs/concerns/requests (cabins sleep between 6 and 20 people). Then all kinds of updates will keep happening until you arrive!

3. Start making travel arrangements!

If you’re flying, we recommend flying into LAX, because we will be running shuttles from there, but arrangements could also be made from the Palm Springs or Ontario airport, depending on demand. We will request flight information from you before camp begins.

If you are flying and will need transportation, please  fly in on Thursday April 26th before 6pm and book your return flight for Sunday, April 29th (we recommend flying out after noon, but can make other arrangements if necessary)

If you’re driving, then sweet! If you’re looking to carpool or caravan, you can coordinate with other campers via the ASS Camp group or Facebook Page (both will go up this week.)

4. You’ll also have access to the event website after making your payment, and can enjoy updates there.

FAQ:

Q: But I’m really socially awkward! What if I go there alone and don’t make any friends?!
A: Oh girl, we ALL feel you, which’s why we’re committed to 100% social comfort. I can tell you who doesn’t make that claim and her name is Dinah Shore. Firstly, Autostraddlers are the most amazing, kind, inclusive people in the world and Secondly, we’ll be prepared for Shystraddlers and the team will be prepped on how to ensure nobody will feel weird or awkward at camp. This is our top priority. You have my promise and honestly I rarely promise things. We got this shit on eight kinds of lock.

Q: I’m really super poor but I want to go so bad!
A: Firstly, this is a once-in-a-lifetime Utopia-esque situation, I recommend getting your emergency funds out. But we get that hard times are here for some of you, and that’s why we’ve set up a “pay it later” system. Let us know when you put down your deposit that you’ll need to pay via installment plan. No fees, no gimmicks, no credit checks. We’ll work with you to get you there. That’s just how much we want you to come.

Q: Is there Wi-Fi?
A: NOPE! I know it’s scary!

Q: Will there be any free time?
A: Yup! I mean you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. Go read by the river or go videotape your friend hiding in a tree like a monkey or just lie on the grass or in your bed. You can do whatever you wanna do, you’re a grown-up!

Q: Are there extra charges for any activities?
A: Yes, there is a $15 fee for those requiring transportation to/from LAX, $20 fee for the Ropes Course or Climbing Tower, $25 for a private voice lesson with Haviland and $10 for a private writing tutorial with Riese.

Q: Do you need any more speakers/activity leaders?
A: If you’re either famous, internet-famous or have a strong background in queer activism/social justice issues and experience talking to groups about that, we could use some more of both of those kinds of people. Hit us up – robin [at] autostraddle [dot] com & autostraddle.merch [at] gmail [dot] com.

Q: Me and all my friends want to go together, can we stay in the same cabin?
A: Yes.

Q: I got so inspired by your State of the Union yesterday that I donated my last 50 bucks!
A: Shoot us an email and we’ll work out a transfer.

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You guys, this is the closest thing you’ll ever get to magic.

Register Now. You Don’t Wanna Miss This.

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Riese

Riese is the 43-year-old Co-Founder of Autostraddle.com as well as an award-winning writer, video-maker, LGBTQ+ Marketing consultant and aspiring cyber-performance artist who grew up in Michigan, lost her mind in New York and now lives in Los Angeles. Her work has appeared in nine books, magazines including Marie Claire and Curve, and all over the web including Nylon, Queerty, Nerve, Bitch, Emily Books and Jezebel. She had a very popular personal blog once upon a time, and then she recapped The L Word, and then she had the idea to make this place, and now here we all are! In 2016, she was nominated for a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Digital Journalism. She's Jewish and has a cute dog named Carol. Follow her on twitter and instagram.

Riese has written 3279 articles for us.

780 Comments

    • Same here… Montréal-LAX for 2, plus babysitter for the kids, plus we fees = impossible to gather up. :-( Too bad, we would have loved it, but I’m still glad some of you will have so many nice stories to tell us when they get back. :-)

      • I’m thinking about the idea of an Autostraddle Traveling Pants Circus for the future.. we’ll see. I’ll have to run it by Riese.

  7. oh my god. oh my god.
    you know what. I so hope this is going to be the biggest success of forever so that there can be a camp no. 2.
    I mean. I would come from Germany if my final exams wouldn’t start around may 3rd. it’s breaking my heart a little bit. because from june to whenever, I have all the time in the world cause I’ll be unemployed and travelling around.

    also, I’d really like to thank Gabby in person for her sweet words after my grandma died. really.

  8. Um… I’ve been looking into going back to Cali in April as a mean to get away from here, this might just be the winner for me.

  12. Okay. Here’s the plan: I’m a finalist for National Merit, which would give me a $2500 scholarship. This only costs 300 + a plane ticket. So, my parents (who are paying for my college, bless their hearts) still come out on top?

  13. Brava for some originality, Autostraddle!

    It warms my soul to know that you ladies are attempting something of this magnitude, ESPECIALLY an event that is so reasonable priced. If I wasn’t deep in the heart of Indiana, I would put down $100 today and sign my girlfriend and I up for this magnificent event. And a million thank yous for actually addressing the notion that some ladies are just a little shy at first and take some time and energy to open them up. You’re on the right track, babies. (Err…that babies part sounded weird, didn’t it? Sh*t).

      • If it wasn’t right before my written exams (PhD program) I would also road trip with you guys from Indiana.

        HEY WHO IS FROM INDIANA WE SHOULD BE FRIENDS I GO TO NOTRE DAME

        • HEY I DON’T GO TO NOTRE DAME BUT I LIVE RRRREAL CLOSE AND WORK EVEN CLOSER WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE.

          What’s the lesbo population of ND like? I heard it’s the sixth most gay unfriendly university in the US. So maybe that means you’re making a positive impact on the school. Or maybe it’s just really difficult to attend. What’s it like for you?

  14. I have attempted to write out this comment about a dozen times and I’m so excited I can’t really pick out a clear thought except, “Welp, I know what I’m doing when I get paid tomorrow.”

  17. Alright, as soon as my paycheck clears I’m reserving a spot. I want to reserve one for my boyfriend too. Is this a safe space for trans men, or is this a camp just for queer female-identified folks?

  20. At some point in my life, I might live in America. Until then, this is the sort of thing I will dream about in my little pansexual heart. Everyone who goes has to have a magically fun time on my behalf NOT LIKE YOU WOULDN’T ALREADY THOUGH

  22. Blargh, despite being a continent and a lot of money away, this is alarmingly tempting.

    Can I make an advance request that while you are all in the woods, you enable image posting on here so those left behind can amuse themselves by posting a million animated gifs and take the whole site down? It will be theraputic for us.

  23. Varsity Barbecue Team did it first. Probably not this well though. We did not tolerate vegetarians though so I guess we had that going for us

  24. I am really excited it’s called CAMP because I feel like I am going to attend Childish Gambino’s album in real life except with hot women and not as sad.

  27. I would be going alone. I am super nervous to sign up but really, really want to. Anyone else flying solo?

  28. Whyyyyyyy do all the nice things happen on the other side of the planet? Alternatively, I hope this speeds up you plans for world domination so we can have Camp Autostralia next.

      • I would come too! I could probably even convince the wife. What can we do to make this happen? <- dead serious

          • I also am dead serious. But event planning isn’t my strong point. Anyone have any ideas??

            We could try for some lower key meetups first and then see if there is momentum for a bigger thing…

          • It seems like most of the Australians are around Sydney, maybe a long weekend somewhere in that area next summer?

          • Yeah, if planning my wedding was any indication I am not the best event planner ever.

            BUT SURELY WE COULD HIRE ONE RIGHT

            Blue Mountains or Hunter Valley come to mind as obvious options. (Latter comes with BONUS WINE)

          • Sounds good you guys! I feel like there is plenty of cabin-style accommodation out there that could be hired at affordable prices.

            Robin below made a good point that AS saved a lot of money by making a reservation just outside peak season, this might also be something for us to consider.

            If Dee-Anne Smith will still be in Australia we should totally see if she would do a performance for us.

      • oh man, i kind of wanna smack all of you who are like ‘oh no! i’m in [insert US state here] it’s too farrrrrr’ WHAT ARE YOU SERIOUS this is CAMP AUTOSTRADDLE! you’re in the correct nation! you’re on the correct side of the world! go do that effin’ thing!
        intense frustration at living on the asshole of the world is makin’ me a bit crazy. i’m sorry. BUT SERIOUSLY.

  30. This sounds fantastic.
    What is the lodging situation like? How many people per cabin? And will these be shared with strangers?

    • cabins can sleep between 6 and 20 people, depending on the cabin. it’s a site used for corporate retreats and so forth, so it’s nice (we’re secretly way too high-maintenance to actually camp, so).

      we’ll be asking you all kinds of fun questions and taking requests and fielding concerns regarding your sleeping arrangements prior to arrival. I understand many of you will have special needs in this regard so we’ll be doing all we can to ensure y’all feel comfortable and safe.

      if you travel with somebody/ies you’d like to lodge with, then let us know and we’ll make it happen. but yes, you probably will be sharing with strangers WHICH IS PART OF THE FUN!!!! seriously it is! after filling all requests, tentatively we’ll be grouping cabins by age, i think? but like everything here, we’re listening to you!

  33. festivus? drinkstravaganza? dont 4get sunglases & advil. and get yer asses over 2 fine line 4 the party!

    • the 14 hour flight and airfare will be totally worth it.

      i really want another Australian to go, partly so i won’t have to suffer through jetlag alone.

      • hey Crystal, how much do you think flights (departing Sydney) would be?

        I have some friends I’ve been wanting to visit in California and some time to spare. It’s feeling like a crazy dream right now, but you know, it could be a thing.

        • Hey Im in aus and thinking of going. You can get reasonable return flights from sydney to la for 1300/1400 you just have to do some searching. It could be a thing!

          • sta travel appears to have flight deals for around $1000… HMMM. probably life will stop me, but maybe, just maybe it could be a thing.

            hope you get to go :)

        • petra is right, you can pick up a return flight for about $1300. the prices can change every hour and so you have to be fairly on top of it to get the lowest fare.

          a few weeks ago i thought attending camp was also this crazy dream but now look! my face is up there on that wall of attendees. i believe in you both, and in this.

          • hmm Crystal, this could be a thing. I am owed $1300 in outstanding scholarship moniez from my uni and this seems like a good thing to use it for.

            the only thing stopping me is that i am pretty close to having a full-time grown up career-path-y job, and i should know by the end of next week whether that is also a thing. if i have a job then i can’t make it. but if i don’t, then there’s very little stopping me, i have been wanting to travel california for a few weeks anyway :)

      • I would have gone, had I not just booked a holiday to the US for July/August damnit! Can they organise another one for August?

    • If I go to the airport and kindly explain that I can’t pay for my flights like ever, but that doesn’t matter because it’s for AUTOSTRADDLE, do you think they’ll understand!?

    • i want to turn Australia into a giant continental ship so we can sail around the world visiting wherever and whoever we like. One week Autostraddle camp, the next week vacationing in the islands of Greece…

      • It would be worth it indeed, and I would be happily jet lagged. However, due to my moving interstate to Melbourne town a short while after it is not feasible. This better fucking happen again because I will be on that like cheese on vegemite!!!!!!!
        Dizzy: Boatship Australia is the best idea ever (A-camp is the other best idea ever)

        • ooh, moving to Melbourne town? how excitement! that is also on my to-do list for the year. so much so I am thinking of just moving there without a job and then seeing what I can get. but I haven’t been truly unemployed for a long time and the thought kind of freaks me out.

          if any Aussiestraddlers / Autostralians want to respond to this wonderful yet heartbreakingly far away A-camp business by holding some shenanigans down under, then count me in. Will travel to Sydney, Melbourne, or anywhere in between.

  36. Airline tickets make this unreasonable for me. Sigh.
    This sounds so awesome. Please come to the Mid West. We have so much camp space!

  37. I may have to ask my parents/grandparents/siblings/friends/pets/harry potter for financial aid for 600$ plane tickets SO I CAN GO TO THIS AWESOME, AWESOME EVENT.

  39. This is amazing. You’re the most beautiful people, really. Truly.

    I would potentially want to steal Laneia though..?

  42. Oh. So. Tempting.

    There should be an open mic for songs and spoken word and hot jams.

    Ummm and a chocolate whiskey fountain.

    And clothes-optional events slash glow-in-the-dark-body-paint parties.

  45. Omfg why can’t you do this in the summer?! I work at a camp and April is insanely busy!!! Wahhhhhh I wanna go!

  46. WHATTTTTTT, I’m going to be at Airborne School then! So the Army is, at once, being awesome and shitty? Pretty par for the course, actually…:(

  47. despite my social awkwardness, i was so going to do this! i was going to go alone and it was going to be scary but i was going to make friends! and i was super excited! and then i got to the registration page and realized that it’s the weekend of my best friend’s wedding and i’m in her wedding party.

    so.

    blarggg. Y’ALL BETTER MAKE IT SUPER SUCCESSFUL SO THAT I HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY. :P

  48. Reserving my spot as I type!

    IDEA: Someone page Hannah Hart. My Drunk Kitchen s’mores edition needs to happen at A-Camp.

  50. I want to I want to I want to go!!!
    Is it weird if I’m a high schooler and everyone else is way older and I feel odd and out of place? I’m 18!! That makes it legal right? Will I feel young and sad? Can I convince my parents to let me? These are important questions!!

    • it’s not weird at all! you won’t feel sad and no one will pick on you. maybe tell your parents that it’s a 3-day personal growth and fort-building workshop. parents love personal growth.

    • Same dilemma. If only I graduated just a little bit sooner! And didn’t live at home still… once I start college my parents can’t really say no to a 3 day lesbian camping extravaganza (they have an strong aversion to ok-ing anything that could end up with me in a sexual situation…), so I am SO there next time this happens.

  51. I hope there will a cuddle puddle scheduled on all the nights and a taco eating contest sometime during the weekend.

  54. um this is my dream. I don’t think it is realistic for me to go, though, since I live on the East coast and don’t have my own income, and this is too cool to actually happen. HOWEVER, I hope there are Autostraddlers going to IvyQ at Brown in a couple days! It’s the next best thing, I guess!

      • CONGRATS
        (my crush on lizz grows and grows)
        (wait is this going to be awkward if/when we actually meet at camp?)
        (ugh lizz i am totally jk i mean not really but i promise i’m not creepy please don’t be weirded out when we meet)
        (i need to stop)
        (stopping now…)

  55. Eeeee I am working a temporary job that will end shortly after that, so I feel weird taking a couple of days off…especially when I’ve already taken off a day for Coachella. But I will talk to my boss today and figure out the situation.

    I am not sure if I can overcome my embarrassment/awkward feelings about being a queer girl who has never had a real queer relationship and is currently in a straight one. :/ Would that bother people?

    • re: the last part of your comment. that describes me exactly, and i’m pretty sure as loves us anyway. at least i hope so.

      unfortunately i can’t afford to go to a-camp. i’m so broke can’t even afford to visit my boyfriend at this point in time (he lives in the states, i live in canada) and i have so many angsty feelings.

    • I’m going to Coachella too and workin out how to do both. Also, in trying to make “queers at coachella” a thing cause it should be.

  56. I could not be more thrilled that this is happening and that I get to help plan all of these amazing activities for you guys!! I love your ideas and your comments.. keep em coming!! And spread the word!! xo

  58. Oooh, camp activities.

    Two words: Starcraft Tournament!
    Three Other Words: Doctor Who Marathon! Oooh, you could have panel discussion on which companion is the cutest (Spoiler Alert: It’s Amy Pond)

    Well, if I still lived in Cali, I would certainly consider it. I hope it goes well! ^_^

  60. You have no idea (OK actually lots of you probably do) how insanely jealous I am of everyone who ends up going to this.

    I wish tons o’ success on this magical fairy adventure so that it can happen again and again, preferably in many locations state-and-worldwide. :)

  61. If Hanna Hart and her sexy drunk kitchen are the special guests I swear I might poop my pants.

    Just sayin’…

  63. LRTICU83LIRHXQ2LU3RNOV24THXOI4HRSL23RBNAERILUGHQLIWURBFL I CAN’T THINK I CAN’T BREATHE HOLY SHIT HOW THE FUCK AM I GONNA MAKE IT TO CALIFORNIA

  64. What terrible, amoral things I would do for this adventure opportunity and included Camp Mona swag bag.

    I pray for an east coast occasion next time.

    • “exploded into glitter”

      I LOVE that…I think I might have to use that at some point (with your permission lol)

      On a sadder note, I can’t go even though I really, really, REALLY want to. Being in the army means you have to take leave and it’s a whole process. Plus, we are deploying soon and I want to save my leave and my money so that I can go home before we head out. I hope it goes well so that it can happen again!

  66. Huge tax return, you specifically say you’ll try to make it ok for socially awful of us…its like the universe wants me to go. FUCKING FINALS.

    • I am seriously challenged at being a grown up. Please explain to me what you mean by “huge tax return” and how this is relevant to my life. Usually I email my dad with tax questions but this is something I would rather not email him about. Genuine plea for help??

      • If you made ~$7,000 or less, you don’t have to even file your taxes. Otherwise, get thy ass to an H&R Block or Liberty Tax with your W-2s (which will set you back about $150), and any relative tax docs from your school. I got a lot back this year because I borrowed a lot for school.

  68. YOU GUYS. this is what dreams are made of.
    I’m always creepin’ on Autostraddle, but this just made me finally join. I WANT TO GO!

  70. Wish I could go but the timing is really bad, hopefully this is a massive success an I can go to another one in the future

  71. ok just to let you guys know i made a deposit but have NO IDEA if this will actually be able to happen so in case it doesn’t, i got a spot for one of y’all.

  73. Of course this is during my university’s reading days. I hate you all.

    And by “hate” I mean “love,” but still…

  74. aw man! tht sounds so awesome! but i have a tourney and school then. the next one should be a summer camp! :]

  75. Nooooo! I’m graduating on the 29th!! If only it could’ve been moved up like 2 days, then it would’ve landed during the week’s break I have between the end of the classes and graduation day. Sigh!

    This sounds absolutely amazing though!

  76. holy fuck this sounds like magical fantasyland i want to CRY

    i’m in the uk but just knowing this is a thing that exists is making my heart swell up

  77. This looks amazing…if only I could justify spending $600 on a plane ticket…um, maybe you should consider having one in Hawaii? Just saying. We have a lot of beaches. And rainbows.

  78. Oh my goodness! I might actually do this, although no amount of assurance could ever totally tame my fear of going solo!

    • I’m going to offer my assurance anyway. We will be doing lots of ice breaker type things the first night that will help everyone get to know each other better. Plus, we’ll have lots of interns on hand to help integrate you and talk to you and be your friends like an RA in college. Also… think of how proud you’ll be of yourself, getting totally out of your comfort zone. By the end of the weekend, we’ll all have lots of new friends!

  79. The thought of just how awesome this is definitely going to be is making my brain have seizures. A few more of those and then maybe I’ll be fully convinced to use all my money to just fly over from Europe, already. YOU GUYS I WANT TO COME SO BADLY, why is the Atlantic so big/expensive to cross?

    • Hi Deb! Sadly the site doesn’t allow pets other than designated helper animals. Please apologize to your pups on our behalf.

      • if you bring your dogs disguised in some human clothes, i promise not to tell anyone that they’re secretly not just funny looking kids.

  81. NOOOOOOOOO I mean YESSSSSSSS but also nooooo I go to school in LA but I’m abroad in Paris this semester :[

    By which I mean :] because Paris, but also :[ because I want so so so badly to be a part of A-Camp v1.0. Pinky swear there’ll be another?

  82. I’d love to go, but I’m a Midwesterner on a travel budget. I’ll be in California in early April to visit 3 grad schools, but the official visit dates all end about 2 weeks before A-Camp starts. I can’t afford to squat in Cali until then.

    The only way I can go to A-Camp is if I’m accepted to Stanford – its admitted students weekend ends just a few days before A-Camp, so I could just drive down from SF. Stanford’s decision just got more crucial…

    Addenda:
    Brilliant plan ladies. Whomever came up with this deserves a raise/promotion/benevolent glitter bomb.

    I also vote for an East Coast version of A-Camp.

  83. It would cost me $800 just for plane tickets so that’s not going to happen. BUT I think there should be Canada camp at some point! Everyone can get married, it’s perfect.

      • I’m in Newfoundland, so road tripping’s pretty much out, too. :( Although that would be a blast!

      • Hey! I live in Thunder Bay! I’ll road-trip with you. Or fly with you. I might even live in the same house as you. Maybe you’re cooking me breakfast as we speak?

  86. This better be super duper successful. $300 is only £191 which would be totally do-able. UNFORTUNATELY the airfare is the killer and totally unaffordable so here’s what I’m going to do Autostraddle. I’ll donate a bunch of money this year. At the end of June I’ll hand in my PhD thesis, I’ll graduate and then get a real job. Then next year I’ll fly over and join youse all. That’s what I’ll do. Unless I win the lottery or come into a lot of money. Then I’ll be there.

  87. So I was gonna go to Dinah Shore this year, haha FUCK THAT!

    OH MY GAYS, I am so excited! I’ll be coming aaaaaaaall the way from the UK and it’s going to be so. fucking. worth. it.

    But please don’t have Harto as the secret guest. I will queen out so bad on her, it will be traumatizing for all parties.

    Also, there needs to be a five a side soccer tournament. And touch rugby. I’m happy to do coaching for touch rugby. I’m certified!

    • YAY!! That’s so awesome! :) This is all very exciting! A rugby tournament (game? match?) sounds like a great idea!

    • Where will you be flying from, currently looking at flying from Manc or Birmingham International… I’m pretty sure my student loan wasn’t intended for a queer vacation to California, but i think i can deal with being homeless and starving for three months. Although i’m not sure i could cope with being unable to afford cigarettes and whiskey for three months.

  89. well i could go to this or to russia and croatia for two weeks this summer…. agggg two once in a lifetime opportunities in the same year when i have no money ever. ima just go rob a 1%er or something. womp womp

  91. I am so ridiculously excited for this that I am seriously contemplating registering and flying out all the way from Nebraska :)

    like really my heart fell out of my chest when I saw it on the home screen
    omg

  94. when you said there was something exciting happening in april, i did not imagine anything close to this amazing.

  95. Oh my god, it’s like gay girl scout camp.

    I’ve never wished I lived in California more than I do right now.

  96. Sitting in a cafe (where no homos play) in this broken down citae, annotating my literature review draft, I’ve written in the column –

    1) oh my lordy AS CAMP!!
    2) writing/knowing how to write –> important
    3) i need to buy a plant

    I hope everyone who goes has the time of their lives! How amaze

  97. You make me want to sell my Coachella weekend 2 tickets for this once in a life time lesbian camp. Oh God. Decisions.

    • You ladies should have one in the Summer. This coincides with Coachella and it hurts my feelings, a little bit.

      • The thing about having camp in the summer is it is LOADS more expensive. So this was our way of making sure it was warm enough for us all to be outside and not be too much money! Sorry! I wish we could have it in the summer, (or in NY in April for that matter)!!!, but its cold or expensive either of those ways.

  98. [I will not be a downer. I will not whine. I will not be a whining downer.]

    A-Camp is a fantastic idea. I predict it will also be a fantastic reality and a wild success. Hope everyone has a great time (mellow and groovy vibes sent, especially to the socially awkward peoples—aka my variety of peoples).

    [Remarkable job, self. Being happy for others is nice. Four for me.]

    • Don’t even get me started, I know how to make the butterfly, the box and the Chinese staircase…

      Omg, I still can’t.

      I CAN’T PROCESS ALL THIS AWESOME!!!! IT’S LIKE I’M BACKED UP, CONSTIPATED, OMFG TOO MUCH AWESOME, AS, TOO MUCH.

      • omg you can do square? i could never do square. i was the crafts instructor one year and i had to get other female counsellors to teach their kids square for me. bra you have to show me.

  102. Wow. Just wow! Way to come up with all of the ideas!!! Now I just need to come up with monies! This is probably the most awesome event evar!!!!! I don’t even feel like missing Dinah matters at all because this exists! Yay for nerds and social awkwardness ;)

  103. This sounds absolutely amazing. I hope it is a ROUSING success so there can be more and maybe if its on the East Coast next time I can go!

    Also please post lots and lots of pictures and stories and things after its over so those of us who can’t go can live vicariously through all of the lucky mofos who do go.

  104. Damnit, it’s times like this I curse living in Australia.

    If I had a spare $1500 I’d so book a plane right now, but alas I am poor. :(

  105. Is there any way for those of us that can’t go to “sponsor” or have some sort of scholarship for someone that can’t go for financial reasons?

    • okay, i love this idea so so so much (and someone else suggested it below) and we’d actually discussed something similar, but i’m wondering how we would be able to pull it off w/r/t who would be the recipient of said sponsorship funds? like how would we decide who got them? would we do a lottery? ideas?

      • Maybe half/half. Total amt. donated/sponsored to be split into two groups: one for full free rides (maybe selected at random or voted on based by most compelling story, I don’t know) and one to be divided up among everyone else who requested financial support to help subsidize their cost?

        Probably those are horrible ideas but I want everyone to be able to come and Ellen should basically sponsor like 200 Autostraddlers in need, so…

      • I actually think FFAF has a good idea there. I also think it depends highly on the amount of money that is donated. If you only get enough for two full camp fees, then perhaps just do a lottery for two lucky winners. If you get enough for four or five full camp fees, perhaps split it into two full scholarships and several partial scholarships. I like the idea of a random drawing over some kind of write in process, but that’s just me.

      • Perhaps do a week long Autostraddle-is-fucking-awesome A-Camp Scholarship funds drive, see how much you get, and go from there. And I am totally down for donating some $$ to help fellow ASers get to camp!

  107. If I hadn’t just spend all my travel monies on going to Las Vegas at the beginning of April- boo! This sounds amazing!

  108. Justin Bieber? Hahah JK.

    Sounds like a blast too bad I have class that thursday. – – I cud go friday- Sunday though!

  109. Hey ladies! This sounds fantastic. I’m going to try to make it work, but on the off chance I can’t get away from work to fly out Thursday, can people arrive late? Like on Friday? I assume we’d have to arrange our own transportation, but it might be my best shot at actually getting there.

    • Also, if I get to go I’m totally digging the idea of a writer’s tutorial. Any chance at an acting or comedy workshop or something similar? That would be fantastic!

      • yes there will be an acting/comedy workshop or something similar with the u planit grrls or with julie & brandy — pending! and wheeee re: writing!

        and yup, you could arrive late. unfortunately we have to pay the site for the entire weekend, so you’d have to still pay the full cost, but it’s def ok to come late!

        • Oh, I figured I’d have to pay the full price to reserve my spot. It’d be worth it. Seriously, I know it’s a lot of money, but $300 for four days and three nights is an *incredibly* good price. And $10-$30 for workshops and tutorials from pros? And a freakin’ payment plan?! Seriously, you guys pulled out all the stops making this as doable for people as possible. You didn’t have to do that. But you’re fantastic, so you did. Thank you!

          Yay about acting! Just got my first comedy acting job (was just a producer and screenwriter before, so acting is new) and want to take it further. It’d be great fun!

          And wheeee right back at ya to writing! I mostly write and publish fiction, but I want to bust into more informative/personal/blog-friendly writing and who better to learn from? :D

  110. omg so many comments…

    YOU GUYS. If thousands of lesbians can converge for Dinah every year just to drink their faces off with other lesbians, LOTS OF YOU CAN MAKE IT TO AUTO-CAMP.

    I believe in you.

    I am also so so excited and overwhelmed with happiness — we had talked about doing this since the very beginning and now it’s finally happening. We’re finally doing this. WOOOOO!

  111. One of the best parts of this post has been seeing everyone completely lose their shit in the comments. Look what you’ve done, Riese.
    I love it.

  112. I would totally overcome my shyness and the Rocky Mountains to be there if I wasn’t going to be in boot-camp in April!

    Totally different kind of camp…

  113. THIS IS MADE OF SO MUCH FUCKING GLITTERY AWESOMENESS AND A PARK.

    ALSO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I WAS WOKEN WITH A CRAZED TEXT MESSAGE FROM A FRIEND ASKING IF SHE SHOULD FLY ACROSS THE ATLANTIC BEFORE HER SCHOOL TERM ENDED FOR THIS.

    you see what you make people do, autostraddle?! -mad wistful sigh

    • please let autostraddle be awesome and glittery and full of strangers i’d love to hang out with when i get out of school and have an income. i would bring said friend with me ALL THE WAY FROM SINGAPORE (or we can hitch a ride from the traveling Australian island) to wherever it was at and my life, it would be complete, you guys.

      • Your friend is now flying across the Atlantic and continental USA, and would give anything to bring you all the way from Singapore but in lieu of that I promise to do ALL THE THINGS on your behalf? Also, pictures.

  117. I’m in. Now I just have to figure out what excuse I’m gonna use on the uber religious scheduler at work to get it off.

    • If you take one of the tutorials, use it as an excuse. For example, if you take the writing tutorial say it’s a writing retreat. Or you could just default to it being a networking event. Or hey! How about a “family reunion.” We’re all sisters, after all ;D

  118. Oh man, if only I wasn’t halfway around the world! And it’s on my birthday! Anyone got a spare 2k lying around for flights?

    SO JEALOUS.

  119. Not to sound like a boozer but what’s the alcohol policy for this event?
    Not Allowed?
    BYOB?
    Sold by AS?

    Only ask because definitely a Shystraddler here but this sounds exciting and I want to try something “beyond my comfort zone” and go. A bit of booze would be helpful in making this shystraddler less shy around the masses.

  120. so if anyone wants to donate frequent flyer miles to a straddler who’s about to become underemployed, let me know lol.

    i’ve been freaking out about this all day, so exciting!!

    • I’m very tempted to just study beforehand and leave early for my test monday, but I doubt jetlag and a pharmacology final go well together.

  122. This looks phenomenal. I just reserved my spot!

    Also, my dear shy/hesitant straddlers I have been repeatedly compared to a lovable Labrador and was voted “Friendliest” in high school. I promise I will come talk to you if you’re standing by yourself. So, no excuses!

    • I once won a dog/owner look alike competition with my Labrador/golden retriever… yeap, some mums enter their kids in beauty pageants, mine entered me in a dog competition…

  123. If this wouldn’t cost me over $700 including flights, I would have already reserved my spot. Sounds amazing. Have fun, autostraddlers!

  124. SO MANY FEEEEEEEEELINGS. Actually pretty much just the one feeling of pure giddiness that this is happening and I AM GOING. I don’t care that it’s on the other side of the country, or that it’s mildly reckless w/r/t my bank account, because if not now, when?

  125. I’m usually a bit of a lurker on this site but OMG I wanna go! Anyone from the Phoenix area thinking of going as well?

  126. I would defiantly go to this even if I’m one of those shystraddlers. It’s even my 18th birthday April 22nd. But… my unicorn – whose named Rainbow- every year on that weekend after my birthday is re-glittered and I like to take her everywhere with me so unfortunately I can’t take a plane because they don’t allow her to sit with me in coach and I can’t drive. :( Oh well, maybe some other time.

  127. Registered and airline ticket bought!! I am so very, very excited!

    Question: How do I change my registration to say I need LAX shuttle? I was thinking of seeing if I could find a carpool from Reno, but the airfare was $145, so I thought ‘screw it, that’s cheap’ and just bought the airline ticket. Now I need shuttley-ness. Is there some way to update registration stuff?

    • in a few weeks we’ll be sending everyone who registered another form to fill out where we’ll ask for your flight info for shuttle scheduling (you can pay cash onsite or we’ll give you another paypal link) as well as lots of other questions about your wants/needs/desires

  128. i just want you all to know that alex and i have been talking about this for longer than you’ve been alive and i can’t believe it’s actually happening

  131. I want to go to this SOOOO much, and I have feelings about how I can’t go. I was telling my partner about my feelings, and she had feelings too. However her feelings were:

    “we don’t have enough money to go, but maybe we can donate a little bit of money to a fund where other people also donate and then someone can go who otherwise couldn’t go.”

    Is this a thing? Like a camp scholarship thing? Could this be a thing???? I will donate to this if it is a thing, of course I don’t have lots of money so I won’t be able to give a lot. BUT BUT BUT don’t worry I would still give my little yearly AS donation that I plan on giving again even if I donate to the scholarship thing, that isn’t yet a thing, ok I’m gonna stop now.

    • I’m all for some kind of scholarship or fund! Maybe AS could set up an account or even a kickstarer/indiegogo campaign? I don’t know what the requirements for applying for money would be, though.

      Maybe individual autostraddlers could start their own campaigns, making a case about why they need to be there and people could pick their own campaigns to donate to? I don’t know all the safety precautions that would need to be in place, though, to ensure there are no scams.

      • Anyone can feel free to sponsor me any time. I’d write up proposals and everything. Just saying. LOL!

    • hi — as i asked above — i love this idea! how would we decide who got the scholarship funds? would we do a lottery or make it each (wo)man for herself or…?

      • My first thought would be you could choose who gets the funds in the same way you had the wedding couple contest. People can submit to you/the team, then ya’ll choose like 5, and the site votes on them.

        My second thought is it’s important to be careful with peoples feelings, and I don’t know if site wide voting would be the best way to do that.

        My third idea would be treat it like an actual scholarship where people have to write in to you/designated person to apply and you would pick the winner and post about them.

        OR! Instead of a scholarship it could be like financial aid, were if someone needs like 50 extra dollars for their payment plan last minute, or needs help with the down payment upfront, etc…. the money would be the fund to help with that. Then maybe they can repay the money when they can, so that the fund will be there to help someone else. Or maybe I just want to believe that the world of AS is nicer/more honest then the real world I live in and this idea may not work.

        So yeah, those are my ideas…

        • “I just want to believe that the world of AS is nicer/more honest than the real world”

          IT IS!!!!!!! Just look at how many people have said they want to sponsor! And the fact that AS cares enough about us to organize this!! And the fact that if they post something about donations we will absolutely be able to send people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to go to camp!!

          Autostraddle is different and better in every single way.

      • One thing to keep in mind is to hold a couple spots before it sells out if scholarships though as ate gonna happen.

        I like the idea of people campaigning for themselves outside of the realm of AS because it means reaching a different audience/ more people/ more money.

  132. I’m not sure what just happened but that might have been the quickest I’ve signed up for anything.
    My want to have fun self said: “just take my money now!” while my introverted, shy self said: “are you effin crazy?! what are you doing!” They are still dueling but somehow AS now has my monies, well done AS, well done.

    High Ropes and Climbing & Zipline anyone? Also, are those scheduled activities or is the fee just to get access to the courses? Can we do both?

    I’m so excited and scared at the same time! For now I am flying solo, go easy on me please Straddlers ;)

  135. Dude.

    Why am I sixteen and stuck in high school so I can’t go to awesome gay camp?!!

    You put the option out there and I can’t take it :(

    • The next two years will go very fast… If Camp is as successful as we believe it will be, we should be continuing the tradition!! :)

  136. reiiiiiissssssssssee reise im excited nervous for two reasons: that im in college and don’t have the money (i could make it happen), that im a weirdo/hipster not good @ making Friends. Plz convince me. I love autostraddle. i am 100% about it 100% of the time.

    • I don’t know what site you’ve been reading that you think being a weirdo or hipster makes you anything but the most excellent of candidates for Camp. I’M A WEIRDO AND I’LL BE AT CAMP. Weirdos and/or hipsters please place your support here.

  137. Okay I’m 17 but will be 18 by April… And my mom is freaking out, what can I say to her to convince her to say yes?!?!?!?!?!
    ANY AND ALL HELP MUCH APPRECIATED

  138. I NEVER EVER EVER do things alone. Like I break into a cold sweat at starbucks sometimes and I am going to fly out. Tthis is actually like a dream come true. Totally out of my budget but I am using my emergency funds because this feels like something I cannot pass up.

    Anyone else from Philly going in a group/solo

    Also, Riese… BEST FUCKING IDEA EVER.

  139. OH MY HOLY FUCK OH MY GOD AUTOSTRADDLE CAMP.
    HOLY GOD.

    Please, please let this become a thing. Because whereas I will be in the throes of finals that weekend, and am currently too broke to fly to CA from TN, if I find a few more air miles under a sofa and if it happens over a summer or a break I would be so incredibly totally down for this.

    Y’ALLFAGS MAKE THIS WEEKEND SO GOOD THEY’LL NEVER STOP THEM MKAY? please?

  140. OMG. Ahhhhhhh! This sounds so lez-tacularly phenomenal and I really really really want to go. REALLY.

    Reason #874 that grad school has eaten my life and prevented me from having any fun. Please keep doing this so I can come one day when I have a real life!

  142. I have always wanted to go to an introvert-friendly feminist summer camp type thing! This is really cool!

  144. I wish I could go, but I’ll already be on vacation that week. Bummer :( Please organize another camp up her in the northwest..perhaps near Portland somewhere like Breitenbush Hot Springs ;) ;)

  145. For some reason I read the date as “August 26-29” and I got super excited about be able to go, because I’ll be back in the states by then.
    Alas, then I read it again and saw it was April, when I will still be here in China, slaving away at my job where they tell me I need to use my vacation days and then won’t actually approve my vacation requests. Damn.
    So, I hope it’s wickedly successful, and you decide to have an East Coast A-Camp next. Maine is lovely in the fall…

  148. Wow I was in shock when I read this. I sat at my desk and looked off into space and then began to trot out the old excuses…”Too expensive…(payment plan)…Location/will the car be ok to make it?…(it’s 90 mins from LA, I live near a trainstop that could ferry me to LAX & the shuttle if I don’t feel tops about the car)…What if it’s like the Dinah, which I never had the balls to attend even with friends…(it ain’t)…Shit, I’ve got nothing.”

    So I put down the deposit. I’m going. This is on my doorstep, so I put my money where my mouth is. Now to buy a new flask.

  149. If I didn’t have $2000 of debt and a shitty minimum-wage job, I would be there in a heartbeat… Next time, maybe. ):

    • Haha the blob always terrified me. I designated myself the Dry Counselor and insisted my co-staff get in the water with the kids whenever we did any water activities. I promise I am way more fun than this makes me sound.

  151. Mind blown. If I can guess the special guest, can I go for free? I guess Deanne Smith or Krista/Effing Dykes. Could the camp get any more awesomer?!

    P.S. I no can go :(

  153. so i am really the type of irresponsibly spontaneous person who tends to book flights on whims and do things like this…..
    but i just spent all my funds on a crazy trip/am skipping a week and a half of school next month for sxsw
    HEY ITS SXSW THATS AWESOME IM EXCITED

    but i dont know how often i can afford to flee canada :(

    then again google just told me its only a 25 hour drive!!!!!!!!!
    so i have 2 months to obtain a drivers liscense and vehicle
    DO-ABLE.

  155. Just a few follow up questions:
    Is there an extra fee to sit on Haviland’s lap when I take my voice lesson?
    Is the rope course have a bondage theme?

  156. Soooooooooo I am checking with my boss tomorrow that I can do this, but I just put down my deposit under the assumption that she will be cool with it. Please send me good karma, I am freaking out I NEED TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THIS OMG.

    • YOU GUYS

      MY BOSS OKAY-ED MY VACATION DAYS

      MY MOM GAVE ME SOME FLIGHT MILES

      AUTOSTRADDLE IS LETTING ME PAY IN INSTALLMENTS

      I BOOKED MY FLIGHT, I’M GOING, IT’S REALLY HAPPENING

      EXCUSE ME WHILE I GO DIE OF EXCITEMENT. I WILL TRY TO REVIVE MYSELF BY APRIL SO I CAN ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE THIS THING THAT I AM SO. FUCKING. EXCITED. ABOUT.

      (my boss was really sweet and excited for me when i explained what camp is, and my mom can’t even talk to me about the fact that i’m queer because she’s still not really okay with it but she still donated miles anyway because she could see how important this is to me, and my girlfriend is being so supportive of me going even though she won’t be able to, and the whole world is just so lovely and happy right now, i feel like i have “pregnant glow” or whatever but i’m not pregnant i’m just going to queer camp. does that make sense? i feel like it will make sense to all of you. IS IT APRIL 26TH YET?!?!?!?!?!?!?!)

  157. So, um… my education is robbing me of every penny, and I’m not in the most convenient of geographic locations to make it to this.

    So, can I suggest that those of us who can’t make it due to geography meet up/have our own mini-camp-out-pretend-we’re-at-the-real-camp-autostraddle-get-together?

    VANCOUVER, ANYONE?

  158. FUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK this sounds absolutely amazing.
    Why do I live in New Zealand? :(
    Can someone get me out of school for a week and fly me to America, please? :L

    *sobs in corner*

    • Meeee toooo. I let myself dream and checked flights thinking maaaaybe… nek minnit, “$1650”, ahhh maybe not. I’m trying to console myself by remembering that I will probably have a whole bunch of essays to mark at the end of April so can’t spare the time anyway… it’s not really working.

      • bring on A-Camp 2: South Pacific? The worst part is, I’ll actually be going through LA for the first time ever in june, don’t think I can afford those flights twice…

        also nek minnit ahaha classic.

    • :/ I know what you mean. I went and checked flights, but there’s no way it’s happening. The flights are too expensive and I can’t save that much money on only two month’s notice.

  160. I can’t come (Australia not yet travelling island-boat) but if I was, I would most definitely want people to bring along their instruments and have a mad jam sesh, which could include belted sing alongs of Tegan and Sara (obvs) and a ‘write an amusing song for the camp/to sum up the camp experience for 2012’ competition.

    The song and people/everyone singing it could feature on whatever video you guys *hopefully* make of this whole experience.

    And those of us that dabble (or in my case, study) within the realms of the drumming / ‘making funny sounds by hitting things’ arts could potentially bring along some shakers and cowbells and tambourines and other such things to give to people who don’t feel so musically talented. :)

    Or perhaps those guys could do some wicked dance moves / make up actions to things! (hah).

    YEAH!

  161. OH MAN I PICKED THE BEST TIME TO MOVE TO CALIFORNIA. Mapquest says this is only 57 minutes from Anaheim!!

    Can we arrive late? I don’t want to miss anything but unfortunately I can only take two days off from work so I’d have to come Thursday evening…

  164. I’m really excited about this! I’m a little nervous but the excitement and benefits far outweigh the irrational fears and short term fiscal obstacles! I think this is exactly what I need to come out of my shell more! I’m getting really positive vibes, it’s going to be epic! :}

  165. MORE WORKSHOP IDEAS:

    In the interests of doing workshops that are Relevant To Our Interests, and the fact that said Interests of queer ladies often include Some Form Of Activism, Being Subversive and Being Creative, I think it would be excellent for you guys to run workshops on or get someone in to run workshops on

    Street Art – including super easy stuff like working with stencils (you could have You Do You stencils or Autostraddle logo stencils or adorable kitten stencils to cut out, etc) and wheat-pasting, and – if you get someone with mad skills in- freehand aerosol stuff too (although nobody should expect to get very good at the latter over just one weekend, hah… but it’s fun to try these things! And girls aren’t often encouraged to do them either ;) )

    Zine Making- you guys could have a workshop on this, including things like
    -working out a theme (or choosing to not have one)
    -what to put in them and how to source this (eg. magazine cutouts, approaching others for writing / art, etc etc)
    -how to distribute said zines (including scanning and uploading to THIS awesome site, which I’m posting but you guys probably got me onto in the first place but I forgot: http://www.qzap.org/ )

    And so on!

    :)

    YAY ART!

  166. Also- this may potentially not work as well with lots of people/may perhaps be a bit high school esque or better suited to a longer camp than just the weekend (so, this is to seriously hoping that these future camps happen!), BUT over in Australia, some camps I’ve been to have included opportunities for people to write ‘warm fuzzies’ to each other over the course of the camp. These are basically tiny little messages of appreciation for people, which were slipped into A4 envelopes with people’s names on them that were put up around the place. Reading these after a camp was a really great way to feel super awesome about oneself- and it could also be one more way for people to give numbers to people too, if they really wished ;). Hah.

    I can’t quite picture if that will work / how that will work in this case, but ultimately, something that allows people to tell each other how awesome they are (and for some introverts/the awkward/the writers amoungst us, writing can be ideal for this) can be kinda awesome. Just saying.
    :)

      • They are! And it could be something as simple as ‘, you won ALL the points ever in that game of touch today and thus saved us from an imminent and devastating loss. You rock my fucking socks. Signed ‘

        • Also, ‘game of touch’ refers to an actual game of touch football and not some other ‘game of touch’… heh. However, these kinds of notes could, you know, possibly end up applying to that stuff too, tbh*. (It does make me wonder what double meaning ‘fucking socks’ might actually be getting at, though).

          *I don’t know. I don’t want to suggest that this camp will be an orgy as per Everything I’ve Understood Ever About Dinah Shore, so much as it will be bunch of girls (and some boys!) having fun making smores and bonding on ambient night walks through forest and yes, probably developing crushes on everyone ever for things to do with the fact that they’re awesome at ukelele or have the most amusingly adorable breakfast food routine. And I think I like that.

          Still I also anticipate that crushing on every awesome person- which obviously means everyone- might lead to some feelings needing to be expressed.

          There may be both? :)

  167. Wow. I am really excited for this. I signed up right away. So glad that I will be back in California anyway at that time.

    So a few things: I absolutely second the street art idea from a few posts ago. I love street art but have failed to make any yet. I think this could be really, really fun! Also, anyone else coming from the Midwest? I live in Chicago now and would love to meet some people from my area (as well as all of the other awesome people)

    • Yes, street art WOULD be awesome! (I really wish I could go to this camp so I could potentially be involved in this, if it becomes a real thing!)

      And as well as putting together stencils for people to cut out themselves, they could also offer creative people here the opportunity to bring along or submit some hilarious / clever / awesome stencil designs too, eg. something that has a little dig at Ilene Fucking Chaiken >:D

      That would make me happy.

      But seriously, people with photoshop (or similar) skills could get this shit happening. I personally have plans to make a ‘MAKE YOUR OWN FUCKING SANDWICH’ stencil, which will be my personal vendetta against a moronic breed of joke that is unfunny in 99.99% of the situations within which it is used, ie. by people who aren’t aware of their own historical and ongoing privilege and the way that it undermines the ‘ironic’ and therefore only potentially funny part of it all (imo). So yes :).

      So much potential for graffiti-d awesomeness!

    • Have a friend that just moved to Chicago that I am trying to convince to come to this. Maybe if she does you two can be traveling buddies for this awesome event?

    • hi! i’m on the wait list, so if i DO get in (fingers crossed), i’ll be attending from Milwaukee. I’m in Chicago all the time. Midwesterners unite!

    • I’m glad people from different parts of the country are coming, I was wondering whether the demographics of the event were mostly going to be from CA or the West Coast because of the cost to fly

  168. This coincides surprisingly well with my tax return and I’ll be home from Europe by April. Hmm. Anyone want to carpool from Kentucky? I figure gas divided by 4 people would be able the same as plane ticket but with the added bonus of having a sweet cross country road trip on either side of camp weekend. Eh? Eh?

  169. My sister’s getting married that weekend and my travel budget is somewhere in the “oh, well, it’s not that cold. I can totally skip a cab and walk home at 4 am” range, but this sounds intensely full of awesome.

    To all the shystraddlers on the fence about it, just go. Really. Take a risk, spread your wings, etc, etc. It’s highly likely you’ll have a fucking awesome time.

  170. Wow so many comments.. Autostraddle should win best community/group at the Bloggies for this post alone. That’s how much win it is.

  172. Um, this is the totally the fulfillment of ALL of my fantasies-from-the-dawn-of-my-puberty. But um also we can be friends.

  173. you guys, on a scale of 1 to “getting into my top choice for grad school with a full scholarship” the idea of this still puts me at about a 9.5. I AM SO EXCITED FOR EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH THIS. now i have to go to work.

  175. You know when I booked my flight this morning I got this crazy feeling of like relief. When you guys needed donations I wrote a comment about how AS is my only sense of community right now because I am going to a school with no LGBT group, working 50 hours a week and too exhausted most nights to go out to dyke parties and try and make friends over loud music. (Plus noone ever mets anyone at lesbian bars). This is like exactly the type of thing that makes Autostraddle so unique. The fact that we can all go to a random campsite in the mountains without fear because we all feel safe on this website. Not to get all sappy two and a half months beforehand but this is exactly what I want to be fiscally irresponsible on.

    Thank you Riese and Laneia and everyone else for making us feel safe in this world that tells us we shouldn’t be. And for the payment plan and all of the other nice shit you do.

  176. OMG BEST THING EVER I WANT TO GO SO BAD! but it is two weeks before I graduate with a BFA, soooo, my poor little over worked college body can’t retreat until may. Next time I will be free as a bird.

  178. Just to get a feeling for this — if there were “scholarships”/”sponsorships” available, who amongst you who would otherwise totally not be able to go would go? i’m assuming these “sponsorships” would cover just the camp tuition, so getting there would still have to be your responsibility, and therefore do-able.

    • What about a raffle-type situation? Everybody who wants can throw in $10 and you can break them randomly into groups of 30. If my lacking math skills are correct, that’s a 1 in 30 shot of going for $10 plus transportation.

    • I totally would! I could probably swing airfare but tuition on top of that would be impossible. Maybe if I had like a year to save but definitely not this year.

    • Most likely, yes. It seems that I can get to LAX for $200-ish roundtrip, and I can probably make that happen. It’s $200-ish plus $300-ish that becomes a problem. I would very, very, very much like to go.

    • I’d love to help out and sponsor people! I’m not able to go but I still want to have a part in making this a success so I can go to the next one! I’d be able to pitch in for the camp tuition of three people if you decide to allow sponsorships. So excited for everyone that is able to go and not to mention JEALOUS!!

    • I would TOTALLY be in if there were some kind of scholarship thang. I am fully prepared to abandon all of my current summer plans and hitch-hike to California.

    • I WOULD BE THERE!! I likewise can spend the 250 for the flight… but not the 250 for the flight and the 300 for the camp. ): I don’t have 550 dollars to irresponsibly spend on the time of my life but I DO have 250!! The raffle sounds like a good idea because it prevents feelings from being hurt about who gets the scholarship situation while simultaneously raising money.

  179. Damn you physics lab/preparing for finals, why do you have to keep me from this! This camp basically sounds like the most awesome thing ever!

      • Nope, Bio major, just taking my physics requirements right now, haha. Now I feel bad for getting your hopes up that I might be a physics major! Haha, I’m friends with quite a few though, so maybe that counts??

  182. I paid my deposit and thought I’d think about whether to go. But seriously how can I not go? Besides the fact that I love you all already from the great content followed by the witty, thoughtful, ridiculous comments, you have addressed my primary concerns of showing up solo, being socially awkward, etc. So count me in.

    I noticed the no wifi but just need to ask is there cell reception?

  183. I love autostraddle but I have never actually commented on anything. Would I be that “strange girl that doesn’t belong” if I came to camp?

  184. I just paid & registered!!

    Any East Coaster’s planning on going? I’ll be flying out of NYC into LAX probs – message me!

  185. Autostraddle, this is a great idea and I do love you BUT I also feel sad that given the age demographics of your readership, this is being scheduled right around school and finals time!

    • actually, we took that into consideration! it’s not finals time for everybody. any later and we were getting into the period of time where we could no longer book a site (they become summer camps in actual summer), and most schools we looked up either ended before the last weekend of april, or if they didn’t, this weekend fell between the end of classes and when finals began, as opposed to the week before which was often the last week of classes or the week after which was finals themselves.

      i know it’s not like that for a lot of schools, but this was the best we can do. about half of our team is in college so it is something we had to think about for ourselves, too.

  186. i’ve looked at this page approximately 50 times in the last 24 hours

    cannot believe this is happening!

  187. I live all the way over in Louisiana so unfortunately with the cost of the camp + the flight I can’t swing it this time. But you better BELIEVE if you guys do this again next year I’ll be there!! CAMP 2013

  188. First off, registration, check. Second, how has nobody mentioned the walking stick man on the bottom left corner of the map… apparently you can walk to a magical place with a beach and canoes!! Being Canadian I was practically born in a canoe, so I expect daily expeditions to this far off place.

    • My travelling companions and I are also making the journey from the great white northland. We LOVE canoeing. This has to happen. Also, we are mildly considering renting a car to drive. It’s 3500km…

      • “My travelling companions”??? Are you part of a circus?! I was also mildly considering driving… for me its only 2800 km but I’m sure the stops in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas could be put to good use.

  190. I’ll be purchasing a RT flight to LAX from BOS in the next few days, is anyone else from this area? Maybe we can try to get on the same flight/ connecting flight! So stoked about this trip you guys!!!!! <3

  191. I have not been able to stop thinking about camp since it was announced. All the excuses are going through my head but my heart is saying GO
    I have money set aside to buy a new laptop but now I am seriously considering using it for this. I can always wait another few months for the laptop…
    You only live once, right?

    • I’M GOING TO PUNCH YOU IN THE FACE!
      grace hasn’t finished the screencaps yet, so! also my inbox has literally never been fuller in my entire life with all the camp stuff and heaps of accounting, i’m doing my best!

      • Really!! Geez… some people.

        #neversatisfied #unreasonblyhighexpectations #possiblyungrateful #totallymissedthepoint

        #otherthingsthatarenotniceandpossiblyviolatecommentstos

        • girl calm down please.
          I’m extremely excited about A-camp and I know how busy Riese is with this; I’ve seen the articles she has written about how busy she gets
          I’m simply expressing all of the excitement I have
          try not to get so worked up/ defensive, it’s offensive

          • I think it might be a wiser choice to learn from this experience:

            1. Don’t ask about unrelated posts in posts with lots of comments and people shitting their pants with excitement
            2. Don’t be that guy

          • Asking for stuff you get for free ALL THE TIME when people are clearly overwhelmed with way more important things, not to mention in an unrelated thread, isn’t cool.

            #entitled

            I’m violating the TOS in my brain right now.

  197. Well, it sounds like a neat event. On the one hand, it’d be fun to go, as I’ve never met any LGBTQ people in real life, and I’ve no idea where I’d ever meet any. But on the other hand, I’m not a lesbian, and I tend to be far too socially awkward and uncomfortable with groups of people I don’t know. I don’t really have anything else to add, I guess.

    • Unless you literally live alone in a cave, are 100% self-sufficient and have never come into contact with ANY other humans, you have most certainly met some LGBTQ people. You just don’t know it.

      We’re EVERYWHERE.

    • I guess that’s possible, but I don’t really know anyone outside of work and my family. I don’t like going to bars and clubs and partying and drinking, so that’s also a factor, probably. Plus, since I’ve never dated anyone, I don’t think anyone would want to date me anyway (that’s what I was told on afterellen, at least). And I’m kinda boring anyway. So, I guess I should say that I have never really known any GLBTQ people (sorry, I also know some people don’t like that acronym)

        • As my sister pointed out to me, ‘less previous relationships = LESS BAGGAGE FROM THESE’

          and trust me, there is hardly a lady-loving lady in the entire world who isn’t interested in less baggage.

          Also, I think it’s safe to say that the fucking amazing people here at Autostraddle are extremely keen to accommodate everybody and foster the same welcoming and safe space at the camp that exists online here. And I’m 2498127397% sure that includes being welcoming to people such as yourself who are currently in a position of feeling isolated from other queers / nervous about meeting more queers- a headspace that I know many of us and I’m sure many of them have previously been personally familiar with, and which we would love to help you with! :)

          And I know that I’m in Australia and am broke and so can’t actually come to do this BUT I *know* that this is true.

          • Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply anything bad. I couldn’t really go either. I don’t know anyone here, I think I am too old (since I’m 25, 26 in March), and I wouldn’t be able to get out of work, since they schedule vacations in January, and mine is already scheduled. Plus, it would be an expensive plane ride to California, and I’ve never been there.

          • 25-26 too old? WHAT CRAZYTALK IS THIS
            considering that most of the people who run the site are older than that, I don’t think that’s too old.

          • yes, that is insane. if anybody here thinks 25-26 is too old, they are insane! firstly, like half of the people on that graphic are over 28, about a third are 30 or older, and all of us don’t give two shits how old anybody s.

          • Gah, I’m sorry; I didn’t mean that in a mean manner. I didn’t mean to imply anything bad. I was just going off of what I read, and I wad wrong, and I’m sorry for that.

  198. And just when you thought the executive lesbian realness factor couldn’t be topped, suddenly Harto is in the mix. HEAVENS.

  199. OMG this looks awesome! I will totally consider going! <3 Let me express my love for thee once again Autostraddle!

  202. Me: I signed up for gay camp!
    Friend: What is that? Other than awesome.

    This is like getting a kitten for your birthday and you didn’t even know that cats exist.

  206. HARTO IS GOING TO BE THERE?!? That’s it, does anyone want to purchase my soul in order for me to have enough funds to go? Minimum asking price NZ$2,000. I’ll throw in a smile for free.

  210. Sounds awesome!! i wish i could go, but i can’t miss school…
    you should do one on the east coast, like, in vermont or something.
    Then it wouldn’t be a once in a lifetime opportunity after all

  211. Oh man. At first I was like, nah, this would be crazy/I am a grad student with very little spare change. Then I was like fuck it, I can save, early birthday present to me! But, then I checked my calendar. My biggest presentation of the year is right after camp. =/

    • What discipline? I was going to suggest they throw a poster session/symposium into the activities. Who wouldn’t love a journal club for the science nerds? I think A-Camp will definitely look impressive on my CV. And you would have a captivated audience for your practice talk.

      • haha, that is a pretty fantastic idea actually. I am a chemical biologist! I would love some sort of science nerd gathering. I love nerds, geeks, queers, everyone.

        • Hijack one of the lodges and give your presentation. You get to practice for your presentation AND go to camp. Win Win. And it’ll be a gathering of nerds and geeks, even more win.
          Just promise to save me a couple nerds and geeks please, I love me some geeks.

        • I would so be down to watch your presentation!

          I skim PubMed for shits & giggles when I’m bored…you think I’m the right demographic for your paper? :p

      • Add me to the ranks of science nerds! Can we all be science nerdy together? I am always so sad because no one in my lab or majoring in science at my university is gay.

        Also, someone mentioned Settlers of Catan, let’s get some expansions all up in this piece

  212. I have to keep checking this page to make sure I’m not just hallucinating the whole thing! And now Hannah Hart is going to be there how is this real.

  213. This is where I run around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to scramble some money I live near LAX I’m essited!!!

  214. WHY!?!?!?!?!?! I WANNA GO SO BADLY!!! hate living in mexico… would someone like to sponsor my flight?

  216. PLEASE do this on the East Coast soon!! And you should do it in the great state of New York because I’m from New York and there are loads of queer ladies all over the state.

    Oh, and maybe not right before my final exams.

    You guys are gonna have a great time. I’m so jealous.

    • Oh yes please do it in New York next :) or just on the East Coast, and you guys should definitely take mass amounts of pictures to share with everyone who couldn’t go this time around

  217. I want to go so so badly, but I never even comment here despite reading all the articles every day because I’m just so awkward/shy. What if I’m terrible at camp??

    I don’t even know!!!!!

  218. are we gonna get those handy lists of things to pack like sunscreen and a light jacket for when it gets chilly at night? i like those :)

  221. I JUST RESERVED MY SPOT! yesss! My 18th birthday was last week, so my parents really couldn’t say no! :)

  222. I want to go so bad but I JUST MOVED TO LA and am living on savings so I might not even be in Cali in 3 months if I don’t get hired soon. CROSS YOUR FINGERS FOR ME! Ugh, I want to go SO BADLY!

  224. If I had the money for a plane ticket and wasn’t in school, I’d go to this and have the time of my life. It’s a great idea, and I hope you get enough people so that you can do it every year! I’ll make it eventually!

  226. sjkfjsldj thsi sounds like the coolest. thing. ever. EVER!! but school, though. i have school. :(

    BUT HANNAH HART!! ! *dies*

  227. Just registered! Sooo anxious and excited! I WILL break my shyness at this camp! I will, I will, I will! & this is a great road trip opportunity/birthday present/going-away present for my gf who is going into the Air Force a week after this camp…not sure whether to have a happy or sad face :\

  228. Oh lawdz, my creys! Curse being 17 and Australian D: If I were 18, you bet your sweet asses I’d be flying out there. </3

  229. A few months ago I realized that my purpose in life is to start a feminist/queer summer camp for kiddies. This will be the perfect training ground. Actually, mine should just be a spin-off. I am going to go ahead and offer to run A-Camp-a-Little in ~10 years when there will be a critical mass of babies that need tending.

    • I actually work at a camp like this and it’s incredibly mindblowing/fulfilling.
      Tears in your eyes watching kids calling each other out on privilege, etc.

  230. I’m spending some of the money my dead, homophobic great-aunt left me for graduate school to come to camp. I can think of no better use. You only live once and you can get loans for graduate school but not for gay camp! I’m so excited I could burst into flames! As my traveling companion said, we’ll get there if we have to fuel a hot air balloon with enthusiasm alone.

  232. I’ve been reading autostraddle for ages, but this finally motivated me to become a member.

    Just registered for camp and i’m super-excited, coming all the way from Australia for it!!

  233. Eee! I just registered! I also have the best boss in the world. Seriously, I told her about it and she went “Wow! Oh my gosh, you should totally go! How can I help get you there?!” For real. Though… my other boss (I have more than one job) doesn’t even know I registered… here’s hoping I get the time off. 8|

    Also, as incentive for all you ladies who really want to go: the registration process lets you pay through “Bill Me Later”, which is a paypal/ebay line of credit. Right now they’re running a 6 month, no interest on all payments of $99 or over deal. So if you have to be on a plan, if you can pay this way you have 6 months without having to worry about interest. Obviously you’d want to be able to pay within 6 months (I’m sure the interest is killer after the deal) but it’s still 6 months to pay off $300 plus air fare.

  234. Did any other folks from outside North America have trouble registering with their address? I had to put in my parents’ address…

    UM ALSO I MIGHT BE CROSSING THE PACIFIC FOR THIS TOO

    • yeah it forces you to fill in a north american state that has to match the country.. well, minor obstacle.
      high five for crossing oceans!

  236. So I registered despite feeling anxious lol It just sounds too good to pass up even if I don’t know anyone on here! The only experience I have going to sleep away camp is watching Salute Your Shorts and Parent Trap on tv >_> I’m awkward and I’m broke but this is going to work! Anyone flying in from Atlanta? Maybe we can fly together lol

    • OMG I want to do this so bad!!! If only I could afford the plane ticket :( Hannah fucking Hart?! I would be flying out of Atlanta if I could afford it. Haha.

  238. the wife and i have been debating over where to take a vacation this year. we were pondering taking a cross country train trip to the west coast. not sure i can talk her into it she is SUPER bashful! plus idk if someone would share a cabin with my snoring!!! lol lets see if i have more excuses – umm scared i would be the oldest person there at nearly 40!!!!

    but uggg!!!! to meet all of the A-TEAM greatness and HARTO!!!! ohhhhh!!!!!!

  239. I did consider this great sounding camp, but the photos of y’all gave me pause. As my girlfriend and I are just past 50, we would feel so out of place. Too bad, ’cause I love the snarky writing and activism of Autostraddle, plus the fun articles like how to choose boyshorts (50 year olds don’t all wear granny panties!). I recommend your site to all my lesbian friends, though no one in my group seems to find you quite as charming as I do. Any possibility of a few older contributors or staff members?

    Seriously, I love you guys.

    • Age ain’t nuthin but a number. Staff are all around 30, Interns are younger, but our readers are all ages!!

  240. Perhaps this is stupid, but the few commenters who’re worried about being too old for camp, could perhaps draw resolve from the may-decemeber relationship article, AS is like your younger but still awesome girlfriend. So long as everyone respects everyone else…

  243. Bah, won’t be attending as I’m halfway across the earth, but do let us know how we can contribute to the “scholarships”! It’s nice work you guys are doing. :-)

  244. I would give anything to go to this *_*

    Except, I live in Nova Scotia, which is on the other side of (a different) country.

      • It would’ve been an option, but I’m going to a comic book convention in Toronto the weekend after. My funds are pretty well exhausted. It’s too bad! I hope this happens again…

  245. I just wanted to make a quick note: re – location — as Robin pointed out, it’s still cold in New York in April, but another main reason we picked this site was because it was the most affordable for us w/r/t getting the staff & talent to the site and therefore the most affordable for you, too, ’cause we’re trying to keep your costs as low as possible.

    Of the 30 people we have on that graphic, 18 are on the West Coast and 17 of those 18 are within driving distance. All of our “headliners” are in LA. Also, besides me and marni because we’re just that awesome/poor, all of those West Coasters have cars to drive in. In NY, almost nobody has a car. organizing drivng here is way easier, letting people crash in apartments is easier — if we had people coming in to JFK or LGA in New York, running shuttles and renting cars would tack a lot more onto your tuition cost, as would the cost of shipping supplies out there rather than just loading up Alex’s car in LA. Similarly, anywhere in the Midwest or in Canada is drive-able for about two of our staff members, so our own costs would triple. ALSO… most of our non-Californian staff is from New York and it’s actually really cheap to fly to LA from NY, more or less, and there are usually a lot of deals. (Chicago to LA is a good price too.)

    The amount we’d have to charge you in order to afford to send 30 people to australia to run A-Camp would probably not be all that different from what it costs you to fly to this one in LA. Just sayin’!

    I’m really excited for us to grow and expand and take over the world and I know in a few years we’ll be super-enormous and awesome and rich and flying people all over the universe and everything will work and everything will be great and international and fabulous!

    but for now, i promise you that this is the cheapest way for everyone involved, including you, even if you live in boston, believe it or not!

    • It’s impossible to make it work for everyone, but it seems like you really did pick the best set of circumstances to please the most people. $300 is truly an amazing price for a cabin for 3 nights, food for 4 days, and let’s not forget the goodie bag.

    • i think it’s awesome you guys are organizing this
      no matter what location/date/price range you would have chosen, it would always have been suboptimal for some part of the readership. that’s unfortunate but unavoidable. but the ‘complaints’ also mean that you’ve come up with a brilliant idea!! everyone wants to go!

    • You guys are amazing and rocking this entire event. AS has readers all over the world. Everyone can’t be accommodated, but you’re doing a bang up job trying. The fact that you’ve almost sold out in two days *and* that so many people are writing sad they can’t come proves how many people love you. Like wasteunit said, $300 is a truly amazing price and the fact that you’re willing to put people on payment plans is unheard of. I’ve never seen such a big site have such honest dedication to its fans. Even if there was no way I could go to the event, all your efforts would mean a lot.

      I (and probably many other people on the site) know what it’s like to run an indie business, especially when the crew is working on little to no pay. (Is that a lesbian thing, btw? Forming collectives to do incredible things even when there’s little to no money/help?) You’re all miracle workers to put this together. Be proud of what you’ve done!

      On the bright side, maybe this will even spawn AS fan meetups all over the world! I know that’s what I’d be trying for if you were meeting on the east coast. Maybe one day you can even rig A-Camp with wi-fi and use Skype to connect to camps all over the place! With the web, nothing’s impossible :)

      Keep up the good work!

    • I personally would be happy to come to the US camp because then I get to sit around and soak up all of your cute accents. :D

    • If we have A-Camp in Australia, I was never envisioning it involving all the US-based Autostraddle staff! Rather, the couple AS staffers who live here (or, well, pretty much Crystal I guess) and some local guests. Because, uh yeah. Flying people out from the US to Sydney (which isn’t exactly a cheap city in its own right)?

      • yeah me either, I was more hoping we could talk to the Autostraddle team and draw on their to produce an antipodean version inspired by the original. Hopefully that would be ok.

        I think we’d have to make it pretty clear this was member organised and legally independent of Autostraddle, to avoid Autostraddle being held responsible in case the weekend was sucky / caused a natural disaster. Not an A-camp per se but rather an Australia / NZ live in meet up thing.

        if we do have a Camp Autostralia / Austrostraddle, I would also think it’s going to be a lot more scaled down, like around 50ish tops. I was involved in running a week long camp for 200 once and it was a LOT of work, plus it took about a year for a fair sized team to organise.

        yes… I have been thinking about this a lot, why do you ask?

          • yeah I do agree, realistically I feel it would be much less than that. I think if it got 30 people I’d be happy.

            anyway, time to let you and Crystal go (so happy for you but SO JEALOUS) and report back, and if people still want something down under, I’ll gladly help organise.

    • Woops, sorry to make you feel like you had to justify your choice of location Riese! Even if I personally never make it to a Camp A myself, that’s all good with me… attending virtual Camp Autostraddle everyday is enough! So thank you Team A for that :)

      Also, I hope this works out really well for you and you’re able to hold many more in the future. I feel like what you are doing is revolutionary – connecting people on the net and providing them with a virtual place/home to belong in/to/with is one thing, but to translate that into real life is a whole other thing entirely. Good luck!

  246. This is indeed an awesome beginning and I can’t see it being a ‘one and done’ thing. I believe you have started something pretty magical, I keep coming back to read and reread comments because there is so much good. You all have done a great job.

  247. I’ve been waiting for the day when I wake up in a gay fantasy. It’s FINALLY HAPPENING YOU GUYS, and it’s in the woods ta boot.

    On a side note, I can’t wait to see Taylor’s hair irl.

  248. I am on here anonstraddling all the time and never comment, and when I made the decision to register at whatever ungodly hour this morning there were just. no. words.

    SO glad I live in the LA area because I have no excuse not to go except being a poor college student. And so many peeps on here are poor college students that I feel like I owe it to everybody who ACTUALLY can’t make it across the country/various oceans to turn up.

  251. The student in me has decided that this camp will be designated as a “Networking” weekend where I supposedly will meet people who are going to help me into graduate schools n gimme jobs.

    The shy, socialphobic female in me is slightly comforted by all the others who feel the same way. Yet, is unwilling to commit being around SO. MANY. PEOPLE.

    The homosexual in me is saying HOLYSHIT LESBIANS. EVERYWHERE. WHY ARE YOU EVEN DEBATING THIS? THIS IS THE PARADISE YOU’VE BEEN DREAMING OF: NON-FAKE/SUPERFICIAL LESBIAN GATHERINGS!

    But looking at all the other individuals who are going alone knowing probably mostly no one has inspired me to go0o0ooo0o

  254. 1) This sounds incredible.
    2) It is also hugely better than the one nocturnal idea I bothered to wake up and record which was: edible shoes

    Have so much fun!

  255. Me and some friends are road tripping all the way from calgary alberta for this! so excited!!!

  257. i wanna go to lesbian camp!!!!!!!! the last time i went to camp was in 5th grade, and as i was walking down the hill from our cabin, a pair of underwear that was stuck on the inside of my flannel shirt/baggy jeans slid down my pant leg and out the bottom of my pants. luckily no one saw it happen so i quickly kicked it out of the way and when all the other kids eventually saw the underwear on the ground and laughed and shrieked about whose it was, I played along and did the same like psh what weirdo left their underwear outside?! i think it’s time i make a return to camp and redeem myself.

  258. Any people of color planning to attend? I want to build community with all of you don’t get me wrong, but sometimes I need some poc community building too.

  259. HANNAH FUCKING HART IS GOING TO BE THERE?! oh god if I went my inner stalker would definitely come out.

    • When I listen to Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells, the lyrics are “hanna hart, hanna hart” in my brain like, way too often. So game on kiddo

  261. Finally got the guts to to go to the A-Camp registration page and got this message:
    “Registration is closed. The registration limit has been met.”

    This feels worse than when I miss a lightening fast deal on amazon.

  262. I don’t want the registration limit to have been met. I want my best friend to be able to come to camp with me so we can have lesbian superhappyfuntimes together.

    Can there be a waitlist or something in the (unlikely) event that someone cancels?

  263. Wow, this is what happens when I don’t check in to autostraddle for a few days. Even though it’s to late for me to register, I would totally contribute to a scholarship/sponsorship for someone else.

  264. Joined my 84 year old Grandmother for breakfast and told her about this camp I was going to..She asked a bunch of questions, and when I’d finished explaining it all, she said “Damn! I wish I could go! That sounds like a Hell of a good time!” See..Your never too old to appreciate what this is! Love her! And love you Autostraddle!

  265. NO! Registration closed (refreshing is futile). Why oh why is there not better internet on a Nicaraguan island? Those monkeys holding the internet cables must have been distracted by something shiny. *Pout*

  267. I had to wait to find out if I got my vacation from work approved. Registration is closed. I’m crying. Welcome back to high school! fml

  268. you guys are making our hearts hurt and our eyes cry!!! this is why item #1 on the list of things to do right here in this very post was –> “Put down a $50 deposit and/or put down the entire $300 to secure your spot ASAP. There’s limited space, and we expect this’ll fill up quickly.”

    the good news is that it looks like there is plenty of interest and unless this one is a giant disaster, this will be your first of many chances to come hang out in the woods with us.

    we’re doing our best to figure out how to handle this problem and also we’ll have news about a few sponsorship offers and a waitlist as soon as we process what we’ve already got.

  269. Thank you. AS is the BEST!

    Even though it’s transferable, I didn’t want to take a spot from someone who can def go as I have a gig pending that would ship me out of the country.

    And… I didn’t want to ruin my perfect record of procrastinating.

    A waitlist would be awesome.

  270. oh my god I am registered!!!! My coworkers got sick and tired of hearing me debate over whether or not I can afford it and sat me down on my lunch break to register! I have never been more excited in my life you guys!! :D

  271. Just to show my dedication to this camp: I got my professor to reschedule my final exam so that I can go. FUCK YEAH I’M GOING TO LESBIAN SPACE CAMP!!!!!!!!!

  272. hi. um, this might be a little picky of me but i noticed that on the video for the venue they talk a lot about clergy and church groups? not saying there’s anything wrong with that but they people that run this place do know there are hundreds of LESBIANS coming to stay there? i guess i’m just feeling a little strange about having a safe space in a place i would most likely never set foot??? can someone address this for me??? am i being neurotic??? love.

    • I was kinda wondering this as well… Additionally, since they capped the registration at 150, that means they won’t have enough to rent out the whole park, meaning other groups may be there at the same time. I can just picture the other groups grumbling ’bout all the lesbians taking over! Hahaha

    • Honestly, I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a retreat space like this that didn’t make most of its money from church groups. Doesn’t necessarily mean they hate teh gheys.

    • yes, they know that there are lesbians staying there, we asked every site we called about church groups and church affiliation and if there would be anything problematic about that environment for gay people, wanting to make sure this site would be safer than the rest of the world, etc.

      It’s a Jewish Camp in the summer. With staff we have nearly 200 people going. The first night (thursday) a group of science kids from a school in orange county or something will still be there, but are leaving friday morning so we have the rest of the weekend to ourselves, we’ve been told there won’t be anyone else on the site. We’re calling Monday morning to confirm this for the fifth time!

      • The concept that anyone who spends any time on this site would think even for a moment that the ladies of Autostraddle wouldn’t be ALL. OVER. THIS. SHIT. makes me sad…When you lose faith in Autostraddle, even for a millisecond..The terrorists win

          • it’s ok i understand, sometimes i have to check 3 times that there really is wireless at the hotel or that i’m not in a middle seat

    • Just FYI because I look like a dumbass now, this comment was a reply to Hannah’s duplicate comment which got deleted, so now mine’s hanging in the air.

      • I saw it..I know it was there..And my memory is long, very long..And for generations to come, I will speak of this comment to those who will listen..I will validate your follow-up comment..And then they too will know too

  274. 1. this timeframe is a good challenge for the college kids; a week before my final critiques, and sweat and heart sweat art shows will be going on… but i’m sure $$ is better than $$$$ or the intense lionesses doing all kinds of intense hot things at dinah shore… i love older women who are distinguished enough to enjoy such $$$ but wowza wowza woo woom wooozzz…
    CAMP IN NATURE= MORE POETIC!

    2. at least when/if i fly solo me and the other awkward/nervous/shy ones can all sway with our hands in our pockets. maybe even whistle. koom–byah!

    3. …i hope medical attention be provided in the event of eye-contact with Sarah Croce’s perfect eyeballs…

  275. I didn’t register in time! If I don’t go to camp I will die! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

    Please make camp bigger!

  276. Is there any sort of cancel list we can sign up for? It took me a few days to work up the courage to decide I’m attending this alone, and when I went to register, it says that registration is full! I’m sure some people will back out, so I’m hoping there is a possibility of still being able to go??

  277. Sometimes being in New Zealand really sucks. We need an Australasian lesbian (space) camp to make up for the US getting all the cool stuff. Or alternatively you could just give us Hannah Hart and we’ll call it even?

  279. HI EVERYONE I NEED SOME ADVICE.

    First, hi, I never post but I read what you guys have to say all the time and I love you. Autostraddle makes my day, every day. I check it before I check my email or facebook or even my texts some mornings.

    I really think I need to do this trip. I think I’ve been in a soul-sucking, isolating hole for a really long time and I need to do something irresponsible like have a 4-day adventure with a bunch of amazing fucking people in April JUST BECAUSE I WANT TO.

    Here’s the catch: My girlfriend really really really disapproves. She says it’s because it’s financially irresponsible but I kind of don’t believe her. I think she’s just afraid that I’ll cheat on her or will experience some massive emotional shift and take my life in a different direction without her. We’ve been together for 2 years now. I love her. But I don’t care that she doesn’t want me to go. I might do it anyway.

    Selfish, right? Really selfish. She might even break up with me if I do it. But I think I need to do it. I’m not sure I could even make her understand how much I’ve been needing something like this. I’ve been neglecting my own needs for a pretty long time. It has nothing to do with her, it really is all me. I need something that’s mine, something she has no part in. I’ve never taken a solo trip like this. It scares me a little, I really don’t know anyone personally who is going. Being scared sounds REALLY GOOD! I need to hang out in the woods and drink and talk and listen and think with ALL OF YOU.

    So what do you think? When you know you need something, and someone you care about is telling you shouldn’t need it because it’s not really a need, and you’ll risk losing something significant to get the thing you need, do you risk it? Is it worth it?

    I think it’s worth it and if she doesn’t get it, maybe she’s not worth it. But maybe it’s just late.

    • This is a scary comment to reply to, because it’s full of stuff that sounds bigger than A camp (which filled already, so I’m guessing you reserved a spot?).

      Whether you go or not, you guys need to talk more. Start by bringing up some of the things you included in this post. Maybe you didn’t fully express the depth of your need to do something for yourself when you talked about it. And maybe there are compromises other than A camp?

  281. This is why I shouldn’t leave the internet for extended periods of time. I miss important things that happen in the world. Like. This.

    I hope you all have fun and make lots of friends and finger babies.

    I love you AS.

  282. Woke up this morning suddenly struck by the realization that I’m flying “Virgin Air” to join 200 lesbians in the woods…

  283. Riese I am sooo mad at you! WHY IS THIS IN APRIL! Why not in summer!??? This isn’t fair! Most people won’t be able to go due to work or school! URGH!!! >:[ I WANT TO GO SO BAD! I WISH THIS CAMP TOOK PLACE DURING THE SUMMER DAMN IT!

  284. HOLY HELL. If I knew THIS WOULD HAPPEN, I wouldn’t have blown $2000 on a trip to Bali.
    FML.
    Anyone want to fly me over (from Australia? I’ll bring Tim Tams!)

  286. How did I miss this?!

    I live almost basically all the way across the country but consider me interested. Forgive if this has been asked before, I didn’t read all the comments although in my defense, I did a search page for “shuttle” but didn’t find the answer. Anyways, for the shuttles from LAX, will there be a cost attached to taking them? If so, how much will it be for a roundtrip?

  287. OMG, I just read a few comments up and realize it is full. Bumer. Well, there’s always next year. At least, I hope there’ll be one next year or, even better, maybe later this year!

  288. Is anyone from Hollywood going to these shenanigans? Me and a couple chums are flying and we have an extra night to get into some trouble, if anyone is kind/fun/awesome and wants to show us a good time?

  289. I have absolutely no celebrity status, but I do have Was A Super Dorky Girl Scout Camp Counselor status, so if you guys ever run this again and need someone to teach folks how to do camp crafts and run through an extensive library of silly songs, I’m your gal. I knew the words to Closer to Fine by the Indigo Girls at age 9 and kissed my first girl there– it’s ALMOST like I went to a lesbian camp.

  291. Can we have an international autostraddle meetup this year? Unfortunately I won’t be able to be part of the Camp Autostraddle shenanigans :(((

  292. This is awesome and I wish I could be part of it because I think this “We feel like there’s a void out there for awesome queer women who desperately wanna meet each other and experience the magic of communing with like minds, but aren’t into beer-soaked pool parties and can’t swing cruises to the Bahamas.” is true.

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