Is all public nudity body freedom?
In this #UndressedThread, we’re exploring the uneasy overlap between ethical nudism and naked protest
Last weekend, a nude woman stood defiantly in a Los Angeles crosswalk during an anti-ICE protest—her body uncovered, her signs cryptic, her intent unknown. In our coverage of the event, opinions expressed in the comments were mixed. Some saw chaos. Others saw art. Either way, it raised a deeper question for those of us who care about body freedom.
We often frame nudity through the lens of consent, peace, and shared vulnerability. But what about nudity that confronts? That interrupts? That doesn’t ask permission?
In this week’s #UndressedThread, we’re asking:
Is all public nudity body freedom?
What makes public nudity feel “right” to you—and what crosses the line?
What responsibility, if any, do nude protesters have to broader nudist communities?
Let’s explore this thoughtfully. Please keep it respectful in the comments. 🪐
More #UndressedThreads
Show your naked pride!
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There is a difference between personal body freedom and body freedom expression. Art is a good example of body freedom expression, but it is not personal to me, unless I am part of the Art. Protest nudity can also be body freedom expression. Example: the top free protests and WNBR. No, these are not expressions of nudism, but they are of body freedom.
~Safebare
An example of how NOT to use your body to protest: at a large (for ruby red upstate SC) No Kings protest ( maybe 1000 people in front of the courthouse) a guy in a MAGA shirt started harassing the protesters. He then stood in the middle of the street, dropped his pants and bent over to shake his butt at the group. He was filmed and seen by multiple people. While the police say they were not allowed to leave their car during the protest and the “legal observer” was busy looking at his phone, the officers admitted that exposing his genitalia ( yeah they were hanging) to a crowd and cars that included children was against the law. Not to mention full frontal to the other side of the street and the blocked traffic. When multiple protesters offered film evidence they agreed to a public nudity citation. I don’t know if it actually was served but it did very little for his cause-both sides thought he was an idiot. So while I think nudity in some contexts can be useful, shaking your butt in the faces of 1000 people does not help anyone understand a cause IMHO.