Topless bikers, skaters take over Riverside trail to celebrate recent federal ruling
TULSA, Okla, (KTUL) - You could see the confusion on people's faces at the Riverside trail Sunday.
People were pointing and staring at women skating around without their shirts.
"I really don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. I mean we all come into this world naked. So, it shouldn’t be an issue,” said Derrick Smith, who was at the park with his kids.
A recent federal ruling says events like these are OK in Oklahoma. Giving Tulsa its first topless event since those changes were made.
“Nipples and breasts are sexual just because we’ve covered them for so long and that’s the only reason,” said event creator Lex Taylor.
She said the fact that women don't have to wear a shirt in public anymore is a big win when it comes to body positivity across Tulsa.
She uses her time as a breast-feeding mother as an example of why this change was needed.
“I was shamed for like two years for just feeding my child. Breasts aren’t sexual to me,” she said.
Of course, not everyone was OK with all the skin showing.
A man with a megaphone protested the event today.
He said everyone participating should be ashamed of what was going on.
This led to shouting matches with the crowd.
Since it's a public park many parents, like Smith, were playing with their kids just steps away the half-clothed people.
He said his family wasn't bothered by it, because now everyone can take off their shirt regardless of gender.
“I understand if you’re walking around with your genitals hanging out. That’s one thing, but men walk around without their shirts all day long,” Smith said.
The people in charge of the event said now that there's court backing for anyone to take their shirt off in public they hope to use Sunday's big event to normalize women being topless around Tulsa.
Taylor said she hope to skate like this more often, without a giant crowd present to watch.
