Naked cycling protest in York today

Campaigners want to promote road safety and body positivity

Published 10th Jun 2023

Cyclists will ride through York naked this afternoon in a protest about road safety.

They'll go on a 5 mile route past some of the City's most iconic landmark.

Anna Semlyen is one of the organisers and says it's about promoting cycling as a green form of transport: "The bicycle is amazing, because we are riding our bikes instead of being in cars, all sorts of resources are freed up, like fuel, like road space, we are not very dangerous as cyclists."

She says they also want to raise awareness of body positivity: "It's a proper celebration of the physical body, the beauty of the physical form that is our human body, there is nothing unusual about having a body, we have all got one."

Campaigners also say being naked sends an important message to other road users about how vulnerable cyclists are: "Cyclists really are just going about our everyday lives, in our everyday clothes. Being naked is partly about the media hook, but it's also partly about gosh, we are just people, notice us as people."

Organisers say all cyclists are welcome and you can wear whatever feels right from nothing to undies, to a fancy dress outfit or a mask to keep anonymity. Marshalls will also ensure it’s a safe ride for all abilities.

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