Next time the conversation rolls around to bemoaning the world we've lost and your friends are stuck on the old oxymorons -- Manhattan apartment, living wage, political civility -- try quoting James Davidson in his breathtaking book The Greeks and Greek Love. Discussing how society announced the transition from off-limits boyhood to expected dating at age eighteen, he writes:
That's not such a surprise when you remember athletes in the original Olympics competed naked. But dry your tears because it turns out nude races are thriving throughout the US, Canada, England, and Spain (home of the legendary Patxi Ros nudist run each September, far below). Last weekend was the Running Bare 5K in Pelion, South Carolina and the Bare Buns Run in McDade, Texas AND the Bare Burro 5K in Colton, California. This coming weekend is the Fig Leaf 5K in Dawsonville, Georgia and the Skinnydipper Sun Run in Decatur, Texas. The following weekend is the Hidden River Trail Streak in St. George, Georgia and the Dare To Go Bare 5K in Lutz, Florida. The list goes on and on. If you're going to suggest that Depew, Oklahoma is a long way from Athens, wait till May 16, when a sizable contingent of Bay to Breakers run naked as Bare to Breakers, covering 12K of San Francisco and nothing else. They encourage "the enjoyment of photographing bare runners.""In fact they seem to have 'come out' in a rather spectacular fashion in Athens, running a nude torch race during the night before the great summer festival of Athena's birthday, the Panathenaea, from the altar of Love in the gymnasium of the Academy outside the city walls to an altar in the city. Of course the spectacle attracted an audience. Comic authors describe people waiting at the city gate in Ceramic parish to welcome these new graduates with "slaps of Ceramicus" ... and for those men who didn't yet have boyfriends it must have been like a bit like an express cattle market."
The Panathenaea it is not, but each Halloween season at least five American cities host Naked Pumpkin Runs. Thank you, Boulder, Seattle [below], Portland, Arcata, and Sebastopol. This will allow certain types many centuries hence to say, Oh, look what we missed! Why couldn't we live in 2010? They used to put carved pumpkins over their heads and run naked through the streets.
It's sad to say, but it looks like Boulder's naked pumpkin run may be a thing of the past. Last year no one actually appeared naked. The previous year a few people were charged with offenses so stiff that if convicted the would have been required to register as sex offenders. Fortunately, they were able to plea down the charges.
Posted by: Gaytodecember.wordpress.com | April 21, 2010 at 10:38 PM