Sick of the Naked Bike Ride

[HardyEM]

Hello I'm posting about the York- World Naked Bike Ride ob 29th June 2023 @ 4.15pm. This year I've decided enough is enough and as a York mum I'm going to go along and tell them so (North Yorkshire police have also been informed).

Having your cock and balls (overwhelming majority of naked participants are men) out in public isn't OK on any other day of the week - even if they are virtuous, net zero, climate saving ones.

No one really believes it's OK for adults to parade around naked in front of families and children in public without their consent and why should we have to stay at home? So this year I'll be there to collect evidence and respectfully handing out some pants.

'The Emperor's New Clothes'

Oh who gives a fuck.

I've no interest in this either. But I can't get worked up about it. I saw it once by mistake.

It's like cheese rolling or bog diving or morris dancing. A british eccentricity that literally creaks past. You don't have to look and there's not much to see. It's not the least graphic or sexual or threatening. Mostly palid unappealing arses.

Live and let live.

It's not for me, but I couldn't get worked up about this. Do you realise OP that in the antique Olympics all the athletes competed naked?

I agree with you OP. I can’t for the life of me see the attraction of naturism, but if people want to do it, do it with like minded people in designated places.

This photo is exactly what I imagined it would be like!

Here is why I dislike this.

In our culture, and most culture, there is a strong taboo against public nakedness. The explicit intention of these riders is to transgress OTHER PEOPL’S taboos. The entire point of the ride is the audience who is forced to witness it.
( don’t give me nonsense about how you can avoid it., most of us don’t daily check what events are on before we go into town).

If this ride were just about the riders’ enjoyment, of riding naked, they could each bung in a tenner and hire a country park for their exclusive use for the day and ride around that.

But that wouldn’t hit the mark for them. Their intention is to make a political point that OTHER PEOPLE are required to be ok with their nakedness, and this is their day to force their nakedness on other people.

And that’s not ok. The fact that individuals on this thread is ok with it is hardly the point. You lot can go and hang out at naturists beaches if you want. The point is that many people have a taboo against it, it’s a mainstream taboo in our culture, and others shouldn’t force a transgress of that taboo on other people.

I don’t agree with men or women being naked in public, but there is a different dynamic with men. Most women have experience of men forcing women to give them attention, or forcing themselves on women, forcing their bodies on women, and these naked riders do trigger all those memories and feelings in me, and I am sure plenty of other women.

Do you know anything about Ancient Greece? It was one of the most misogynistic societies around, with women confined to houses and considered less than human. Male nakedness was a reflection of this misogyny.

Very interesting to hear how so many people would rather defend the absurd in order to excuse their apathy and accepting it 'as the law'.

The event organisers and North Yorks Police have both been prior informed that naked genitals (irrespective of claiming to be virtuous climate fighting ones) will cause me preventable harm and distress - we will see how strong my case is when all the evidence is in.

N.B I have also warned them that protesters covering their faces whilst exposing genitals would call into question their 'good' intentions.

The event organisers and North Yorks Police have both been prior informed that naked genitals (irrespective of claiming to be virtuous climate fighting ones) will cause me preventable harm and distress - we will see how strong my case is when all the evidence is in.

This is one of the most ridiculous things I've read.

'When all the evidence is in'?

The response you'll get it 'Don't come along to watch'.
Do you honestly believe that one person's protest is going to change this? That your 'distress' will end naked cycling?

You need to get a grip.

Not sure why this is parenting issue anyway. Why post it here? Unless you propose to force your children to watch and teach them that the naked human body is shameful and offensive.

You should be posting on AIBU.

If it causes you harm and distress why on earth do you go and watch?

The 'prevention' is in your own hands- or eyes- don't go.

No one is forcing you to go to York city centre and watch.

But effectively they are preventing her going to York city centre. One shouldn’t have to check the date to see if you can go to a city without seeing naked men.

We do apply that logic to almost every crime.

Actus Reus + Mens Rea = Crime

But effectively they are preventing her going to York city centre. One shouldn’t have to check the date to see if you can go to a city without seeing naked men.

Dear me, it's on a road. They go past. That's it.

I stood and stared at the ridiculousness. I could easily have turned away or walked off.
Let's not be wet about this.

And as expected. It was pretty quick.

Agree 100% @Monochord

I'm sure for some taking part it's all very innocent and in their minds the nakedness is absolutely necessary in order to protest about <vague wave of hand> global things. For others, the intention will be to publicly shock, or to exert power over others, or to intimidate. No-one should have to stay at home or stay out of certain public areas in order to avoid that - the fetishists should be pointed in the direction of the nearest naturist area or private land willing to accommodate them and told to crack on (see what I did there?).

Very interesting to hear how so many people would rather defend the absurd in order to excuse their apathy

This comment assumes that people defend the absurd because they are too lazy to do otherwise. Defending the absurd/eccentric is an active choice which the British has been making and been proud of forever.

Looks like there as many women taking part as men, do I am not sure why your objections centre around men? Participants of both genders are not usually wholly naked anyway!

I too would like to see the "evidence" as without, they are just empty words

There were more men than women in the York one the year that I inadvertently saw them all gathered in St Helens Square and many of them were naked, certainly the perve I had mentioned above who I and other women had already had trouble with was.

"men" - so you are ok with "naked" women in public?????

Very interesting to hear how so many people would rather defend the absurd in order to excuse their apathy and accepting it 'as the law'.

Not " apathy". I don't care genuinely . And I like the absurd.

A definition of absurd - wildly unreasonable, unsound, illogical, or inappropriate.

Yep, I'd say it was that rather than cosily eccentric.

I also think as it's compartmentalised, organised, advertised and there is security and they're riding bikes on a road,you have every opportunity to look the other way.

No idea what they get out of it. They look ridiculous but it doesn't bother me at all.

You know most people don't actually go naked? If you don't like it, don't go near the location that day. it's not illegal, police won't care.

*A definition of absurd - wildly unreasonable, unsound, illogical, or inappropriate.

Yep, I'd say it was that rather than cosily eccentric.*

Whose definition? I'm not here for semantics.

I would say it's eccentric, ridiculous, and actually very dull. It does them no favours. Like morris dancing.

We were in Central London with small kids once when the naked bike ride pedalled past. Hundreds of mainly elderly people (of both sexes) spilling over their saddles. I felt a bit shocked and disgusted for two seconds and then thought - actually - the human body is not inherently sexual. It's just a body, no big deal. DC barely even noticed. They certainly weren't shocked. They were way more interested in the floating Yoda street performers that were all over Trafalgar Square.

Op, it's no big deal. It's just bodies. A bit eccentric but it's not sexualised.