Vancouver cyclists go naked to protest oil, celebrate body positivity

Cyclists go naked for body positivity, against oil Dozens of Vancouverites bared all for World Naked Bike Ride Day

Several dozen nude cyclists bared their bottoms, tops and everything in between in a stripped-down ride through downtown Vancouver for the annual World Naked Bike Ride.

“It’s a protest against oil dependence.  Less gas, more ass!” said one rider, who is visiting the city for her third consecutive ride.

“It’s what I look the most forward to every year, because I love body positivity, self-acceptance and also being progressive and moving forward in the world.”

The cyclists started near Stanley Park, and curved their way from the seawall into downtown traffic, including Granville Street where many pedestrians stopped, gawked and snapped cellphone pictures.

While some motorists also honked in appreciation of the risqué cyclists, not all.

The World Naked Bike Ride is promoted as “a protest against car culture and oil spills and pipelines” and “a celebration of creativity, individuality and the human powered machine,” according to the ride’s Facebook Page.

The Vancouver ride started in 2002 and now rips up and down the West Coast of North America.