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Every June, dozens of nude riders from different cities and countries take to the French Quarter of New Orleans for the annual World Naked Bike Ride. This fun extravaganza is held to raise awareness of bicycling and to declare the beauty of the human body, both individual and vulnerable. The overall aim is to promote cycling as a clean and safe means of transportation versus motorized vehicles, which have a negative impact on the environment and global oil dependency.
The ride was led this year by New Orleans burlesque star Bella Blue. The rainbow banner that waved in the wind behind her tied the event into this month’s Pride festivities. She commented that in past years she had always been an onlooker, “It always looked like a blast and definitely made sense to me that using your physical body to bring awareness to the vulnerabilities of cyclists would be most effective — especially in the nude… When I was asked to lead, I wasn’t totally sure what that entailed but quickly learned that in general, the attendees appreciate a strong presence with no hang-ups around nudity, activism, and where those 2 things intersect. I feel that the parade is an important part of our culture here and as New Orleans continues to grow as a more cyclist-friendly city, the parade is that much more important.” This spirit also mirrors the energy of happening across the city.
