Body freedom activists let it all hang out

After hearing about the May 31 arrest of several nude activists in Malaysia who participated in the “Penang Nude Sports Games,” Bay Area nudist George Davis decided to take action here at home.

He and fellow body freedom activists gathered recently on Baker Beach in San Francisco to hold their own Nude Olympic Games to show solidarity with the Malaysian nudists that were arrested.

Davis hosted similar events previously in 2008 and 2009, but the arrests in Malaysia spurred him to host the event again.

At their Oct. 4 gathering, nudists participated in the 100 and 500-meter run, broad jump, the discus, and sumo wrestling.
They concluded with volleyball.

“These are people just basically like today going to the beach to have a fun party and a bunch of games just having fun,” said Davis.

In August, Davis traveled to New York and got naked in the middle of Times Square. Davis hopes to be the first ‘out’ body freedom activist elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, taking the same seat as Harvey Milk in District 8.

He’s running in the upcoming November elections.

After video footage of the Malaysian nude festivities were posted on Vimeo, several of the participants were arrested and later released. The videographer was also arrested and received a six-month sentence for possession of pornography.

Friends then urged Davis to resume his event with a purpose. “So we decided okay, let’s do it and we’ll call them the Malaysian Nude Beach Games until such time as they can be held in Malaysia,” said Davis.

Currently, in San Francisco, you can go to jail for a year for taking your clothes.

Gypsy Taub, body freedom activist said, “We’re definitely going to make sure that nudity becomes legal again in San Francisco no matter what it takes. It’s gonna be legal again.”