Nude Olympic Swimmer's, Anti-Fur Protest Shutdown (PHOTOS)

**SCROLL DOWN FOR THE AMANDA BEARD PHOTO IN THE PETA AD**

BEIJING, China -- Olympic swimming gold medalist Amanda Beard had to launch her naked, anti-fur campaign poster outside the Athletes' Village on Wednesday after Chinese authorities canceled a planned unveiling, citing safety concerns.

In a poster for the animal rights group PETA, the reigning 200-meter breaststroke champion appears naked in front of the U.S. flag and the slogan "Be comfortable in your own skin. Don't wear fur."

Jason Baker, an Asia-Pacific spokesman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said the launch was "a bit more dramatic than we had planned" after Chinese security officials visited a hotel where an official news conference had been scheduled and shut it down.

"From what I've been told from the hotel, the public security bureau showed up at midnight and told them our specific event had to be canceled for safety reasons, without going into any specifics," Baker said. "When I arrived at 8 a.m., there were public security officials in the press conference room we had booked.

"Amanda didn't want her voice to be silenced, so we went ahead and arranged something else -- we never knew if we were going to be stopped at any point."

Baker said the protest was not against China and did not interfere with the Olympics. Police and security saw the launch going ahead outside the south gate of the Athletes' Village but did not interfere.

"It was a sexy ad really designed for the U.S. market. It was positive and it was (supposed) to be done in a private function room," Baker said. "I'm surprised they were so concerned, given we've done similar (things) with Asian celebrities in the past."

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Beard, 26, who has posed nude in men's magazines, said she decided to participate in the PETA campaign because she loved animals and was horrified to see how fur was produced for fashion in some places.

She said the Olympics was the perfect forum to get out a positive message, but now she was concentrating entirely on competition.

"It's an important issue -- I'm proud to be part of this," she said. "The more I've heard about what happens to the animals ... fur ripped off them when they're still alive -- it's heart breaking."

"I have seen a lot of the videos, and (it) brings me to tears," the four-time Olympian said in a PETA statement. "What (some people) think is pretty is actually something that's very gruesome and gross."

See the photo below:

Comments

[Forester]

fur, beard, nude, that's just too easy - so I won't

[schicklett3]

Ewwwww!

[Irons]

Keep truckin' PETA.

[chinationreport]

How do you like this one?
German Nude for Olympics
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/olympics/2008-08/15/content_6938337.htm
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/olympics/2008-08/15/content_6938337_2.htm

[CrittersRTasty]

I might seriously consider giving up fur for those women!

[mooph]

Thought it was an ad for a waxing salon!

[CrittersRTasty]

CrittersRWarm, too!

[firelord5000]

Total hotty. PETA... not so much.

[firelord5000]

Could careless bout PETA, but damn Amanda Beard is hot..thanks for the pic PETA!

[Harrier]

Mesmerizing and a message easy to follow

[Badbone]

Meh. A side shot, and covered by hands. I've seen more at the local beach.

[wordvarc]

Yeah, but...

She's beautiful.

.

[the964kid]

Thank you Amanda Beard and thank you PETA.

[realityczech4u]

Jason Baker, an Asia-Pacific spokesman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said the launch was "a bit more dramatic than we had planned" after Chinese security officials visited a hotel where an official news conference had been scheduled and shut it down.
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What Jason meant to say was that the launch was " a bit more dramatic than we could have ever hoped for". Look at all the extra publicity this has gotten them. An arrest would have been a home run.
Drama is what PETA is all about. I hope this campaign is a sign that they have evolved beyond throwing blood on people.

[dabreeze]

you call that nude?

[dukeitout]

I didn't read this article but I thought it was great.

[flyrod]

There was an article?

[TheBlackCat]

While i completely understand people on here who are stating that it is morally wrong for a nation as oppressive as China to be able to host the olympics, it's a bit ridiculous to say "Okay China, we're perfectly fine with the fact that most of the products in our homes and offices come from you; and we're fine with selling huge amounts of U.S. debt to you; but the olympics...that's a no go." China's economy is built on the fact that the rest of the world buys from them. It makes us then look like hypocrits when we say they are good enough to supply the world's commercial goods, but not host the Olympics.


i live part time in Europe, and when my European companions start pitching a fit about America's behavior, while i do agree with them, I also always point out that THEY completely perpetuate American cultural dominance. American cultural imports are more prevalent that their own native culture it terms of popularity. I say something like: "Well, maybe if you didn't go to our movies, watch our tv shows, listen to our musicians, and buy our books and magazines we wouldn't get the impression that America is superior."

Same thing with China. If EVERYONE wants to do business with them, they're going to get the understandable impression that they're a superior nation and society, just like America does.