Full steam ahead for Wisconsin WNBRs
Full steam ahead for Wisconsin WNBRs
Milwaukee and Madison gear up for their annual World Naked Bike Rides with renewed enthusiasm
As summer approaches, preparations for Wisconsin’s World Naked Bike Rides (WNBR) are in full swing, with both Milwaukee and Madison gearing up for their annual events. These rides, celebrated for promoting body positivity, cyclist awareness, and energy independence, are set to take place in the coming weeks, reflecting a robust return after a scary close call with the state legislature last year. Despite the challenges that threatened the future of the events in the state, the WNBRs have persevered, ready to roll out with renewed enthusiasm and increased community involvement.
Plans for 2024
In Milwaukee, John Jankowski, the local WNBR organizer and a founder of the non-landed nudist group We Bare All, has emphasized that the event, planned for June 22nd, will maintain its traditional elements, including body painting, vendors, and a supportive venue that champions body positivity. “Our celebrations are ‘protestivals,’ a blend of protest and festival, to assert our First Amendment rights and promote body acceptance,” Jankowski told Planet Nude. “So we’re continuing with body painting,” he says. “We’re continuing with vendors. We’ve got an awesome venue that understands what body positivity and body acceptance are and is welcoming of us and very supportive. So the whole day is going to continue as it has in the past.” He also highlighted the inclusion of diverse communities and the participation of individuals from various states, emphasizing the event’s growing popularity and support.
Peter Keating, an organizer for the Madison ride, shared similar sentiments about their June 15th ride, noting that despite last year’s legislative scare, the planning for this year’s event remains robust. “We would have done the ride even if the boneheads in the state legislature had managed to outlaw it,” Keating told Planet Nude. He added that the group’s resilience and commitment to the cause have only strengthened in the face of opposition, ensuring that the event will proceed as usual, with precautions in place to address any lingering concerns.
Last year’s controversy centered around a complaint about a pre-teen girl’s participation in the ride. The girl’s mother, who wishes to remain anonymous, shared her thoughts on attending this year’s ride. “I am definitely planning on coming; my daughter is on the fence,” She told Planet Nude. “She’s very pleased that the nudity [bills] were not signed into law but seems to feel a little guilty that they were considered in the first place. I hope she will want to come, even if she opts to come clothed.”
Background on legislative threats
In 2023, the WNBR in Madison faced scrutiny after a controversy arose involving a minor-aged participant. Dane County Supervisor Jeff Weigand, a vocal critic of the event, filed a complaint after a photo of a pre-teen girl participating in the ride appeared on social media. Weigand, a "Christian dad from Wisconsin" and former foster parent, argued that the girl's presence was inappropriate and demanded law enforcement action. Madison police investigated but found no violations of state or local laws.
This incident spurred two Republican-led legislative bills aimed at imposing stricter laws against public indecency. Senate Bill 477 sought to ban adults from bringing children to events where nudity is present, while Senate Bill 478 aimed to outlaw all intentional public nudity. Both bills passed the committee phase and were approved on the floor of the state Senate. However, they ultimately died when the Assembly did not take up the bills before the end of the legislative session. The failure of this proposed legislation allowed WNBR events to continue under existing laws that protect nudity as a form of protest.
Planet Nude actively tracked these legislative efforts, keeping readers informed through detailed reports and exclusive interviews and providing resources for contacting local representatives. We partnered with the Naturist Action Committee to release timely action alerts to the naturist community. In January, we organized a petition against the bills, gathering over 1,000 signatures. Our campaign, marked by the hashtag #KeepBodiesFree, aimed to safeguard the rights of individuals participating in these events and to prevent the imposition of restrictive laws.
Remaining threats
While the legislative threats have subsided for now, there remains a significant risk that these or similar bills could be reintroduced in the next Wisconsin state legislative session, set to begin in January 2025. The overall threat to body freedom and naturist events is far from eliminated.
Jeff Weigand, who played a pivotal role in the original controversy, continues to voice his opposition. In a recent article for the Madison Journal Sentinal, Weigand is quoted, “Participants in this event have every right to protest, but they need to do it in a decent way that doesn’t violate other people’s freedoms,” he said in an email. “As a father of five and former Dane County foster parent, I can especially tell you that children should not be permitted to take part or witness this event.”
John Jankowski, the Milwaukee ride organizer, noted, “Maybe that’s a conversation you should have with your children and explain to them what the body is and respect of their body.”
This is a sentiment that the mother in Madison shares. She says she feels it’s even more important for her to participate this year, emphasizing, “I think it's even more important for my daughter to be able to make a decision on participation too. I'm really looking forward to the ride, personally.”
DNR concerns
There are also concerns about the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). In January 2024, the DNR board enacted new rules banning public nudity on state lands. This decision, despite public opposition, poses a potential challenge for WNBR events that may traverse state-managed properties.
John Jankowski, the Milwaukee organizer, expressed his concerns about the DNR’s stance, noting their ride route has included stretches on DNR land in past years. “We’ve talked about what happens if the DNR wants to write us a ticket. It’s going to be a game-time decision,” he said. “We're preparing for the worst but hoping for the best.” And yet, he emphasizes that the event is focused on its messaging as a protest. “When I testified in Madison, I stayed clear that this is our First Amendment right, and there are no age boundaries to protesting. So I’ve stuck to that. It’s a protest first and then a festival second.
Looking forward
The WNBR events in Wisconsin are poised for another successful year, bolstered by community support and a steadfast commitment to their core values. As the dates for these rides approach, the organizers encourage everyone to join in and support the WNBR events. These rides are not only about celebrating the human body and advocating for environmental consciousness but also about exercising the fundamental right to protest. Participants are urged to support the cause, whether by riding, volunteering or simply spreading the word.
Having narrowly avoided restrictive legislative attempts to undermine parental rights and body autonomy, planners and participants in Wisconsin’s World Naked Bike Ride feel an even greater urgency to join this year. They aim to reinforce their naturist community, advocate against these measures, and emphasize the importance of public nudity as a form of expression and protest.
Perhaps nobody feels this importance more acutely than the young girl who was never given a voice in the controversy over her attendance last year. “She liked the idea of painting something like ‘I <3 Freedom’ on her back and riding,” her mother tells Planet Nude. “She probably won't decide [whether to participate] until the day of. If I had to guess, she's pretty likely, though.” 🪐
I'm rooting for you folks!
Yahoo! Let’s keep up the fight!