The Continental - Hamilton College

societyleo Streakface* showed up first for myinterview in Opus with two membersof the Hamilton Streaking Team. Hewas alone, and after introductions,quickly said that he would be rightback. A few minutes later, he andhis counterpart Sans Clothing reappeared,completely naked, spare forbackpacks and ties. Grinning, they sat downon the high stools and looked down at me,their shocked, interviewer. However, theircomfort with their own nudity helped mebecome comfortable as we began the interviewabout their passion—streaking.The Hamilton Streaking Team, despiteits lack of official funding is, as Sans Clothingputs it, “a very Hamilton experience…nowhere else that you go are you going to bepresented with a streaking team.” They bothagreed that streaking is all about Hamiltonas a community, as opposed to “a few crazypeople,” which is why the streakers wearmasks to hide their identities(presumably, also toprevent getting identifiedby the campus po’).When asked if it wasever awkward being naked around otherpeople, Sans Clothing responded, “Absolutelynot. It’s just like a naked club.” LeoStreakface continued, “Knowing someonenaked is like knowing a different aspect oftheir personality.”However, the streaking team has runinto many obstacles. For example, as LeoStreakface puts it, “[The team] got caught bythe police—the real police. I think they gotcharged with public nudity.” But that doesnot, and will not, stop these determined disrobers.“It’s very liberating, very freeing,” LeoStreakface told me. He explained that whatWe streak to win.draws people to the team is the idea of steppingout of their comfort zones and theadrenaline rush they get from streaking.Many of us have seen the streakers before.This year, they famously streaked at ahypnotist show and in Commons, but thosehave not been their only streaks this year, andluckily for all of their fans, they will streakagain.“Accepted Students Day is usually a fairbet,” said Sans Clothing.Leo Streakface added, “It weeds out theconservative kids…it’s great when you canreally see the parents’ faces.” As he said this,several adults walked by and gave him andhis naked friend close looks. Some acted asthough they had seen this before.Even more interestingly, I was approachedafter the interview by a 1978 alumwho asked what I had been doing talking to“those two naked gentlemen.” I tentativelyreplied that they were on the streaking team,and I waited for the presumablyhim to wonderaloud what had happenedto his alma mater.Instead, he said exuberantly,“I used to streak here back in 1978!”That is only one piece of proof that theliberation and adrenaline rush of streakinghas been popular on the Hamilton campusfor a while, and hopefully, for years to come.If you feel intimidated by the bare-bottomedstreakers you see occasionally, don’t be—join the team! Sans Clothing told me thatthe ideal streaker is someone with a “willingnessto step out of their comfort zone.” Healso added, “There is an open invitation toeverybody.”As we said goodbye, he said, “We’re in itfor the win. We streak to win.”- alexandra borowitz ’11*names have been changed for privacythe continental | spring 2008 69