World Naked Bike Ride NYC 2010

There are many, many, many photos of Saturday's WORLD NAKED BIKE RIDE NYC. Preparing for this event is the reason I have not updated this blog in weeks and weeks. What follows is a "brief" account of the WNBR from one participant's perspective. Would love to hear more, and will post them here as I am able:

I had always heard about naked protests. But no one ever really followed up. One thing or another, but talk rarely followed with action. Sure there were exceptions – ACT UP’s Drop the Debt naked DC during the RNC in 2004 being the most recent example.

But the body has always been a battleground. And those who revel in it represent a Bachnalian counter voice in struggle against the prohibitive logic of the Comstocks, Carry Nations, Guilianis, and so on. “Capitalism – it needs sadness,” lamented John Jordan in an interview with me a couple of years ago. It needs docile, obedient bodies. Yet, when these bodies reject orders and access their capacity for feeling, new worlds come together. “Dig Your Bodies, Not the Planet” activists screamed the day of the ride.

I knew it would be a lovely ride when I arrived at Grand and Williamsberg waterfront and saw the afternoon sun shining on the water, with so many people out to enjoy that moment. Steven Tyler of Aerosmith tells a story about the day he wrote “Dream on” he watched the sun on the waterfront.

This was going to be one of those moments.

I saw a couple of activists from ACT UP and SexPanic! who had long fought anti-sex, anti pleasure forces in the city. So were activists from all the Critical Mass battles, the anti war movement, as well as the Radical Homosexual Agenda.

I gave several press interviews, emphasizing that there had been way too much indecent exposure to dangerous toxins in the air, oil in the water, and pollutents in the mental environment. We were here to celebrate decent exposure to non-polluting transportation, to celebrate our bodies. In a world with war and gloom, it was great to enjoy our bodies and communities. Yet, these bodies are vulnerable. We need safe streets, water and air.

We’d worked to make sure it was a safe place. Just cause it’s a nake bike ride does not mean people would have any more opportunity for unwelcome touch or comments than any other day.

We wanted it to be safe and respectful. Without justice, there can be no joy.

Teressa stood on a rock to usher us off and one man screamed, “lets ride” which we did.

Police followed but nothing really happened.

I knew it was going to be a success as we zipped down the Williamsburg Bridge into the City.

“Its like the pre 2004 Critical Mass rides,” observed one friend.

It took a while to find the appropriate chant. “Whose Street, Our Streets” didn’t take off.

This wasn’t just any protest. “More ass, less gas” that took off. “More nude, less nude” was also a hit.

“Less slick, more… “ didn’t fly.

We crossed Houston through the Lower East Side to stop a BP where we occupied the station.

Up to the UN at and then down to Washington Square park where we danced and swam as hoards screamed and celebrated. Riding through the East Village one man, pulled his pants downt to compliment us. “If you’re doing it, we can to.”

Throughout the ride, people were amazingly respectful. Through each ride, we create a ritual space with music, dance and bodies which opens up the cities to the colors of what NYC has been and can be again. We create a moving amoeba, carnival, a luminal space in between one order and another in which people felt comfortable to be more open to each other. It is an amazing space. I do not want to go back to the more clothed, more closed way people usually are. I hope I do not have to.