Every year, the Solstice Parade, which features naked bike riding, starts the same for me: cold sweats and regrets.

It isn’t until I disappear into a crowd of naked, painted riders that I start to feel more comfortable in my own skin.

It’s easy to forget the purpose of our bodies: to transport us, to bring us joy and pleasure, to guide us as we experience the world.

I remind myself every day that my worth is not measured by how others see me, and ironically, nothing makes me more confident in that fact than riding naked in a parade.