The Godiva Tactic!

By Liz Egger     In which I look at the art of the Nude Protest. ( First appeared March 2003)

Despite the media interest in the current outbreak of naked anti-war demonstrations, the nude protest is nothing new.
Ever since Lady Godiva mounted her horse and rode naked through the streets of Coventry, baring all in a just cause has been a favourite tactic of those with an axe to grind.
Legend tells us that the real Lady Godiva took her chilly ride way back in 1483, which, as far as we know, makes her the first nude protester in history.
Unfortunately, she was also last nude protester to actually achieve a result (viz. her husband Leofric, Earl of Mercia agreed to drop, or reduce, the crippling taxes he'd inflicted on the locals)
Throughout history, nude protests have rarely been effective. The problem is twofold.
Firstly, the protesters themselves are rarely taken seriously. They are seen as harmless, slightly dippy oddballs, with the occasional exhibitionist or publicity seeker mixed in, who pose no real threat to social order.
I mean, when did you last see a bunch of naked people start a riot?
Secondly to many people, the nudity obscures the point of the protest, and what is intended to be a thought provoking rally can be just a pleasant afternoon's peep show for the onlookers.
For instance, last week an Australian journalist covering a naked anti-war march headed by a well known actress asked a bystander what his opinion was. The man considered for a minute, eyeing the actress, and said " Hmmm. Nice rack"
See what I mean?
Of course nude protests generate lots of publicity. But it's rarely of the sort that sways public opinion.
A self-styled Lady Godiva was arrested for public lewdness last year in Krakow, Poland, after she rode nude on horseback through the city's scenic Old Town district to protest against high taxes.
"The legend is beautiful, and I think that somebody should protest against taxes in that way. Nakedness is natural" said the young nude protester.
This young lady just happened to be a pretty young actress. Her photograph was published in the world's tabloids, and her acting career has flourished.
She no longer feels compelled to campaign against taxes, which remain high.
Surprisingly, perhaps the most experienced and organised exponents of what I call "The Godiva Tactic", and the only ones with any claim to success, are the Members of the animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
Their *Naked* Campaign has, in their words "... helped bring fur sales to historic lows and showed millions the cruel truth behind the fur trade" It involves supporters stripping in public places, and has been going on for several years all over the world.
Their most recent protest took place in China when Briton Yvonne Taylor (aged 29) and American Kayla Worden (31) stunned locals as they peeled off red robes in front of dozens of onlookers and unfurled banners reading '"We'd rather go naked than wear fur" in Chinese and English.
The two women were protesting at the opening of a fur-trade fair.
Perhaps PETA's biggest publicity coup took place last year, when they organised "The Human Race", otherwise known as "The Running of the Nudes", in Pamplona, Spain, two days before the somewhat better known "Running of The Bulls" Festival.
Hundreds of naked protesters ran through the streets of the town in an attempt to show the authorities in Pamplona that tourism dollars and publicity can be generated without what they see as cruelty to the bulls.
PETA claimed it to be a resounding success, and another event has been planned for July 5th this year.
But let's not kid ourselves.
The "Running of the Bulls" festival may be a good tourist puller, but it also has deep traditional and religious roots. The naked "Human Race" will not replace it.
The PETA run was a triumph of publicity, as most nude events are. But it was not a success. The "Running of the Bulls" will continue.
Because the brutal truth about nude protests is this:
They will never sway majority opinion, alter entrenched beliefs or change the minds of government and big business.
They won't prevent rainforests from being cut down.
And they certainly won't prevent a war in the Middle East.
These things may be worth fighting for. But don't rely on the Godiva Tactic to achieve results.
Of course it will generate lots of publicity.
But its real effectiveness can be summed up in two words.
Barely noticeable.
'Til next time
Liz   

Related links
Anti-war nude protests with photos here:
More about PETA here
The Running of the Nudes, and an application to join the run here
More Lady Godiva stuff

(This article may not be published or otherwise used without the written consent of the author.)
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