The Running of the Nudes

If you've been to a bullfight, you know that it's a bloody, gruesome spectacle, in spite of the gay symbolism and massive bulging of the matadors.  It's been outlawed in many provinces, and activists all over the world are trying to raise awareness of the inhumane treatment of the bulls.

What better way to protest than to take off your clothes?

Anti-bullfighting activists from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and other organizations have been protesting nude or in their underwear for several years.  They appear at embassies, arenas, and public squares in Mexico, Spain, Colombia, and even places without bullfighting, like Prague and Amsterdam.

Both men and women participate, but you can easily overlook that little detail.



Why protest nude?

1. They want to "become" animals, and animals are naked.

2. They sometimes get covered with blood and "die" to symbolize the cruelty to the bulls.

3. You try standing in the hot sun all day without taking something off.

4. It draws a lot more attention than protesting while wearing clothes.






Every July since 2002, before the famous Encierro (Running of the Bulls) in Pamplona, Spain, PETA stages a Running of the Nudes. Activists run naked or in their underwear through the streets, both to publicize the cause and to give tourists a fun, humane alternative to watching animal torture.

Anyone over age 18 can participate.  It's a lot safer than the Encierro.

Afterwards you should go north to San Sebastian, about an a hour and a half by train, to look at the world's largest penises.