The Philly Naked Bike Ride was more than just nudity
‘I used to have body issues and this is the best way to get over it’
As someone who’s struggled with body image issues, I was curious in what drew people to participate in events such as Philly’s Naked Bike Ride – so I did the most rational thing out there and went to check it out for myself.
To my surprise, I felt accepted in the sea of naked bodies. Although I was fully clothed and looked out of place, I wasn’t looked at in any way differently than anyone else. Men have catcalled me on the streets, while a man who’s currently naked right in front of me is treating me with more respect than many strangers I’ve ever met.
This bike ride is meant to promote fuel conscious consumption, positive body image and cycling advocacy, and in person, it was everything it was hyped to be.
In GlenDinning Rock Garden, the starting location of the bike ride, the environment was friendly as cyclists gathered. Everyone was being offered to have their bodies painted by one of the volunteers at a body painting station.
Despite a protest before the bike ride officially started, the vibes of the whole event never changed from feeling like you were in a safe area, where you could express yourself in any way you desired. Luckily, the protestor was quickly showed how accepting the Naked Philly Bike Ride was. Cyclists offered the protestor hugs despite his hateful remarks towards nudity and homosexuality.
Everyone had some sort of reason to participate in this event, whether for body positivity reasons or advocating for the respect of cyclists in the city. I decided to ask a few people why they chose to participate in this fearless bike ride.
WARNING: NSFW.
Cassia Frazier, 19
“Being part of something like this is just so much fun. I love body positivity and the whole message of this event. I used to have body issues myself and this is the best way to get over them.”
Matt Hill, 20, Durham University
“I’ve been couch surfing on my friends couches for a while now and my friend invited me to participate in this, so I said ‘yeah let’s do it!’. This also my last day in Philly too.”
Wilson Yuen, 43
“I’m a nudist and I like doing stuff nude since anything done in clothes can be done better nude, in my opinion. Nude is the natural unclothed state as opposed to someone catching you unaware or in a vulnerable state. I just believe that no body is perfect, but that’s beauty in that imperfection.”
Stormy Alcazar, 32
“I chose to participate because of the body positivity movement that this event represents.”
Lauren Hammett, 19, Temple University
“I did this for environmental reasons and also for body positivity. I have struggled with self image issues in the past and it’s inspiring to do this in Philadelphia.”
After speaking with the cyclists who were eagerly awaiting the start of the bike ride, I met one of the head organizers, Steph Irwin. The twenty-five year old explained this event is where she seems to find a large amount of accepting people.
“This is my 7th year riding, and every year I meet more accepting people here. This event encourages body positivity and bike advocacy for people who don’t respect others who bike in this city, so what’s a better way then biking naked throughout our city?”
Afterwards, there was a celebration for all the cyclists who participated in the bike ride, in order to have a good time and cool off from the heat wave. Although many may think this is just another silly thing that happens in Philadelphia, the issues they advocate for were far more important than their naked bodies.
According to National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, 8 million or more people in the United States have an eating disorder, 90 percent of whom are women, and eating disorders may begin as early as eight years old.
After talking to some of the cyclists, I was inspired by their love for spreading body positivity. Body issues might not seem like an important issue to talk about, but they are. I was the girl who tried every fad diet to achieve the ‘perfect’ body, and I was afraid to wear certain clothing because I thought I looked fat. It was inspiring to see this amount of self-acceptance among this large crowd of strangers. There were girls my age and older, wearing nothing but body paint, not caring what anyone thought about their bodies. The level of confidence these strangers had is something I aspire to achieve one day in the future.
The Philly Naked Bike Ride also raises awareness for another important issue. In a report done by the Bicycle Coalition, Philadelphia has one of the highest rates of pedestrian traffic fatalities of its peer cities in the United States. Cyclists in the Philadelphia area want respect from drivers as they cycle throughout this busy city. In partnership with Vision Zero, a policy designed to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries for all road users, cyclists are waiting for the change that they deserve.
Yes, this bike ride can be seen as controversial to the common person, but it was a beautiful thing to see a whole community gather together to advocate for issues important to them. There was dancing, music and tons of laughter from the participants, and at times the event just seemed like a huge party without clothes. Naked or not – these cyclists made a difference by showing off their bravery and self-acceptance.