The Redwoods Gathering is a new social and learning retreat for tickling enthusiasts (aged 21 and over) who have experienced some aspect of male identity, including...
- cis men;
- trans men;
- nonbinary, gender fluid, transgender, and gender nonconforming people who feel connected to male identity through presentation, full or partial identification, or past experience; and
- people who have been incorrectly identified as male, e.g. through birth assignment, social attribution, or imposition.
Tickling enthusiasts who fit any of the above gender experiences are all equally welcome to request an invitation -- regardless of sexual orientation or kink roles -- for three days of workshops and socializing, on the condition that they agree to affirm and welcome all other attendees. While spaces for tickle play will be provided, there is no expectation that an attendee will engage in (or want to engage in) tickling with other attendees, either at this event or at other times.
Aims and motivations
The goal of the Redwoods Gathering is to provide an opportunity for attendees to explore the dual topics of tickling and male identity over multiple days. Attendees will be able to meet and get to know others who share their interest in tickling, as friends and learning partners.
Most events for the adult tickling community welcome people of all genders. But spaces themed around one gender provide opportunities for safe discussion and exploration, and are necessary for many members of our community who find that they can only explore this part of themselves when surrounded by others who share their gender identity.
As with most other kinks, groups devoted to adult tickling are often heavily male. This can create imbalances of desire, e.g. for cis men seeking experiences with women. An increasing number of straight men are exploring or expressing openness to tickling experiences with other males -- in part because the number of available partners favors such openness. Many men remain interested in tickling with women only, but desire kinship and community with other like-minded males. This gathering is intended to be a space for thinking about and discussing different identities related to tickling and gender, including unsure, straight, gay, homoflexible, bi- and pansexual, heteroflexible, and evolving orientations.
Trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming tickle folk have often faced exclusion in both mixed gender and all-male spaces. While these forms of discrimination remain a serious problem in our community, more and more cisgender ticklephiles are getting to know and play with non-cis people who share their enthusiasm for tickling. Many are striving to transcend cis-normativity, but there is a lot of work to be done to realize this goal more fully. An inclusive retreat will hopefully contribute to this transformation.
Plan for the gathering
The Redwoods Gathering will be held at a private house in the redwoods region of Northern California, near the Russian River in Sonoma County. Accommodations are available at nearby inns, vacation rentals, and campgrounds, as well as a limited number of sleeping spaces at the host house.
The agenda will include a mix of planned and unplanned activities -- socializing, meals, workshops, games, outdoor recreation, and times/spaces designated for optional tickle play. Retreat invitees will be asked to join a Discord server for communication before, during, and after the gathering. Signal-wear will be provided for attendees to let others know their names/nicknames, pronouns, partner-gender preferences, lee/ler/swich roles, and current interest in engaging in play. Prospective invitees will be vetted after submitting the invitation request form. All attendees must agree to adhere to a Code of Conduct that will be shared as part of the invitation.
A workshop schedule will be developed prior to the gathering, and spaces will also be provided for impromptu discussions. Attendees will be able to organize and lead their own workshops. Possible workshop topics include...
- Learning to embrace our desires in a world that doesn't understand us;
- Facing and challenging racism, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, ableism, and other forms of prejudice and exclusion among male ticklephiles;
- Tickling as part of queer or gay male identity;
- Male experiences and desires around tickling that involve women;
- Trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming identities in the tickling community;
- Bi/pansexual, heteroflexible, homoflexible, and other spectral orientations connected with tickling;
- Relationships and tickling, including monogamy and polyamory, and partnerships between ticklephiles, and with non-ticklephiles;
- Lifestyle approaches to tickling, including relationship-only, community, hobbyist, and professional;
- How-to's for finding, playing with, and/or getting to know others in the community;
- Session-ing practices -- communication, consent, techniques, and care;
- History of tickling among male-identified adults and the all-male tickling community, and histories of exclusion; and
- Ticklephiles' complete selves, including our lives outside of our interests in tickling.
Attending the gathering
If you are interested in attending, please fill out the invitation request form at https://forms.gle/Qi3fUJn7dGwj2p5s6. Invitees will receive directions to the gathering, the Code of Conduct to which they must agree to adhere, as well as information about accommodations.
The host house is...
- near a public bus stop,
- 20 minutes by car from the Santa Rosa Airport, and
- 80-100 minutes by car from San Francisco.
Slumbering spots in the host house (about 12 total) may be requested on the interest form, and will be allocated until no more are available.
There is no fee for this event, but all guests will be asked to contribute food and/or drinks. There is a supermarket nearby, and we will coordinate to make sure the potluck works for everyone.
- cis men;
- trans men;
- nonbinary, gender fluid, transgender, and gender nonconforming people who feel connected to male identity through presentation, full or partial identification, or past experience; and
- people who have been incorrectly identified as male, e.g. through birth assignment, social attribution, or imposition.
Tickling enthusiasts who fit any of the above gender experiences are all equally welcome to request an invitation -- regardless of sexual orientation or kink roles -- for three days of workshops and socializing, on the condition that they agree to affirm and welcome all other attendees. While spaces for tickle play will be provided, there is no expectation that an attendee will engage in (or want to engage in) tickling with other attendees, either at this event or at other times.
Aims and motivations
The goal of the Redwoods Gathering is to provide an opportunity for attendees to explore the dual topics of tickling and male identity over multiple days. Attendees will be able to meet and get to know others who share their interest in tickling, as friends and learning partners.
Most events for the adult tickling community welcome people of all genders. But spaces themed around one gender provide opportunities for safe discussion and exploration, and are necessary for many members of our community who find that they can only explore this part of themselves when surrounded by others who share their gender identity.
As with most other kinks, groups devoted to adult tickling are often heavily male. This can create imbalances of desire, e.g. for cis men seeking experiences with women. An increasing number of straight men are exploring or expressing openness to tickling experiences with other males -- in part because the number of available partners favors such openness. Many men remain interested in tickling with women only, but desire kinship and community with other like-minded males. This gathering is intended to be a space for thinking about and discussing different identities related to tickling and gender, including unsure, straight, gay, homoflexible, bi- and pansexual, heteroflexible, and evolving orientations.
Trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming tickle folk have often faced exclusion in both mixed gender and all-male spaces. While these forms of discrimination remain a serious problem in our community, more and more cisgender ticklephiles are getting to know and play with non-cis people who share their enthusiasm for tickling. Many are striving to transcend cis-normativity, but there is a lot of work to be done to realize this goal more fully. An inclusive retreat will hopefully contribute to this transformation.
Plan for the gathering
The Redwoods Gathering will be held at a private house in the redwoods region of Northern California, near the Russian River in Sonoma County. Accommodations are available at nearby inns, vacation rentals, and campgrounds, as well as a limited number of sleeping spaces at the host house.
The agenda will include a mix of planned and unplanned activities -- socializing, meals, workshops, games, outdoor recreation, and times/spaces designated for optional tickle play. Retreat invitees will be asked to join a Discord server for communication before, during, and after the gathering. Signal-wear will be provided for attendees to let others know their names/nicknames, pronouns, partner-gender preferences, lee/ler/swich roles, and current interest in engaging in play. Prospective invitees will be vetted after submitting the invitation request form. All attendees must agree to adhere to a Code of Conduct that will be shared as part of the invitation.
A workshop schedule will be developed prior to the gathering, and spaces will also be provided for impromptu discussions. Attendees will be able to organize and lead their own workshops. Possible workshop topics include...
- Learning to embrace our desires in a world that doesn't understand us;
- Facing and challenging racism, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, ableism, and other forms of prejudice and exclusion among male ticklephiles;
- Tickling as part of queer or gay male identity;
- Male experiences and desires around tickling that involve women;
- Trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming identities in the tickling community;
- Bi/pansexual, heteroflexible, homoflexible, and other spectral orientations connected with tickling;
- Relationships and tickling, including monogamy and polyamory, and partnerships between ticklephiles, and with non-ticklephiles;
- Lifestyle approaches to tickling, including relationship-only, community, hobbyist, and professional;
- How-to's for finding, playing with, and/or getting to know others in the community;
- Session-ing practices -- communication, consent, techniques, and care;
- History of tickling among male-identified adults and the all-male tickling community, and histories of exclusion; and
- Ticklephiles' complete selves, including our lives outside of our interests in tickling.
Attending the gathering
If you are interested in attending, please fill out the invitation request form at https://forms.gle/Qi3fUJn7dGwj2p5s6. Invitees will receive directions to the gathering, the Code of Conduct to which they must agree to adhere, as well as information about accommodations.
The host house is...
- near a public bus stop,
- 20 minutes by car from the Santa Rosa Airport, and
- 80-100 minutes by car from San Francisco.
Slumbering spots in the host house (about 12 total) may be requested on the interest form, and will be allocated until no more are available.
There is no fee for this event, but all guests will be asked to contribute food and/or drinks. There is a supermarket nearby, and we will coordinate to make sure the potluck works for everyone.
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