Protests - Part 50

 Protest Against Nudity

Today's post is about a different kind of protest: Republicans in the Wisconsin legislature protesting against the World Naked Bike Ride, which happens annually in cities around the world, including Milwaukee and the state capital, Madison.

An Associated Press article in October, 2023, told the story.  A Facebook photo showed that a girl under the age of 18 participated in the Madison WNBR.  Someone complained, but the county district attorney determined that the girl's participation did not violate any state laws, and Madison police determined that state law on pornography did not apply because the photo, which showed the girl's buttocks, was not sexual in nature.  They also said that state law relating to exposing a child to harmful material did not apply.

The article also explained that, after the first WNBR in Madison in 2010 in which police cited participants for disorderly conduct, the Madison city council amended the public indecency ordinance to allow for nudity as a legitimate form of political protest.

So, clearly, under current law, nothing illegal happened.

As a result, Republicans in the Wisconsin legislature introduced legislation (1) to make it a crime to be naked in public for any reason, and (2) to make it a crime for a child to attend any event where people don't have clothes on.

The AP article quoted proponents of the new laws (all Republicans) as well as opponents (all Democrats).  The article was accompanied by the non-explicit photo above, taken at another WNBR event.

In a PBS article on the pbs.org website from a few years ago, before the current controversy,  a participant in the Madison WNBR described the event as "peaceful protest against fossil fuels while also advocating for non-sexual nudity and body positivity."  The article was accompanied by the photo above of the Madison WNBR, showing some rear nudity.

A Fox News article glossed over the facts that the Madison WNBR and the girl's participation in it were clearly and completely legal.  Instead, the article extensively quoted a "Christian dad" on the Dade County Board of Supervisors about the naked bike ride, saying, among other things, "there's a lot of people that resent God, and they're trying to stick their nose and just stick their finger in His face. And they're doing things that they know are wrong. And it's in direct opposition to Him, which is really unfortunate."

The Fox article was accompanied by the photo above.

You can draw your own conclusions about biased news.  Personally, I would have loved to respond to the "Christian dad", telling him, "I agree.  If God had wanted us to be naked, we would have been born that way."

Remember that the Madison city council specifically changed the law to allow nudity as a form of protest.  The remaining photos in this post show Madison WNBR riders exercising their right to freedom of expression.  One of the main WNBR themes is to encourage people to ride bikes instead of cars to cut down on the burning of fossil fuels.  Above, a rider in 2011.  His slogan "No harmful fumes" might be debatable, but his fumes are certainly less harmful than an automobile's.

In 2014, a rider says "Save Earth."  Beyond him, other riders have slogans for the other major WNBR theme, body positivity and non-sexual nudity, saying "B you tiful" and "Love the skin you're in."  The Wisconsin State Capitol building can be seen in the background.

Another advocate in 2014 for bike riding instead of burning fossil fuels: "Burn ass not gas."

In 2018 we see "Every bag, every straw, every car ride makes a difference."  Imagine if a child were exposed to someone advocating ecological responsibility.  The horror!

This guy dresses as a nude clown for the Madison WNBR every year.  But his messages are not clownish: "Decrease petroleum consumption", "Burn fat, not oil", and "Nude's not lewd."

Some body positivity advocates in 2012: "I love my body" and "Nude is natural."

And in 2019, "Love yourself."  Again, imagine a child being exposed to a message promoting self-worth.  The horror!

The Republican bills trying to ban nudity passed the state Senate but were not acted on by the House before it adjourned for this legislative session.  If passed, the Democratic governor would have to sign the bills, which is unlikely.  Meanwhile, we end with this editorial cartoon from the Wisconsin State Journal.