History Main / DefiantStrip

Compare BattleStrip, which is the prelude to a fight. Also compare with {{Mooning}}.

* ''Series/{{Charmed}}'': When a student at magic school conjures up Lady Godiva from the past, she takes her clothes off whenever she feels ignored.

[[folder:Music]]
* ''Music/NautilusPompilius'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZjCxpo7gDQ "Striptease"]] is a song, in which the narrator calls for the Defiant Strip as an act of protest against greedy and extremely violent power holders.
* Invoked by the cover of ''Cut'' by Music/TheSlits, which pictures the three members of the all-female group naked from the waist up and covered in mud, reflecting their no-nonsense punk attitude.
[[/folder]]

* In UsefulNotes/{{Wellington}}, New Zealand in 2012, a youth environmental group [[http://web.archive.org/web/20191022085237/https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/86865109/acting-on-carbon-what-youth-has-to-say staged an underwear protest]] on board the city's trains.

* In UsefulNotes/{{Wellington}}, New Zealand in 2012, a youth environmental group [[http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/7063944/Road-emperors-have-no-clothes staged an underwear protest]] on board the city's trains.

* In UsefulNotes/{{Wellington}}, New Zealand in 2012, a youth environmental group [[http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/7006213/Underwear-protest-on-Wellington-trains staged an underwear protest]] on board the city's trains.

* ''Music/NautilusPompilius'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZjCxpo7gDQ "Striptease"]] is a song, in which the narrator calls upon the Defiant Strip as an act of protest against greedy and extremely violent power holders.

* ''Film/LostHighway'' straddles the line. Even though it's a ShamefulStrip since she's forced to strip at gunpoint, her attitude seems to be a DefiantStrip as if to say "I don't care, asshole."

* According to a legend dating back to at least the 13th C., Lady Godiva rode naked through the streets of Coventry to gain a remission of the oppressive taxation that her husband, Leofric, imposed on his tenants. Depending on the source, she may have [[GodivaHair covered herself with her long hair]] or even worn a shift. Wearing the latter in public would have been considered scandalous and indecent for a noblewoman at the time.

The opposite of a ShamefulStrip, the Defiant Strip is when a character strips naked as an act of protest, or to make a point. The key factors are that they remove their clothing themselves, they are not ashamed of their nakedness, and are doing it for some reason other than to [[ShamelessFanserviceGirl flaunt their bodies]].

The reason for the strip can vary. If someone else is planning to forcibly strip a character, they may do it first to deny their captors the pleasure and maintain a modicum of control over the situation. If someone accuses them of faking their attributes, they may strip off to prove everything they have is absolutely natural. They may strip off publicly as a protest to attention to their cause and embarrass the powers that be.

Compare BattleStrip, which is the prelude to a fight.

[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]

* In ''Film/YoungLadyChatterleyII'', Lady Chatterley undertakes a nude public horse ride (''a la'' Lady Godiva) across the estate, recreating an exploit of one of her ancestors as part of a scheme to [[SavingTheOrphanage save the estate]].

[[folder:Folklore]]
* According to a legend dating back to at least the 13th C., Lady Godiva rode naked through the streets of Coventry to gain a remission of the oppressive taxation that her husband, Leofric, imposed on his tenants. Depending on the source, she may have [[GodivaHair covered herself with her long hair]] or even worn a shift. Wearing the latter in public would have been considered scandalous and indecent for a noblewoman at the time.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

-->'''Lady Godiva''': Apparently it's still the only way I can get anyone to listen to me.

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* In ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'' Dr. Bunnigus, who was genetically engineered to be an exotic dancer and paid for medical school by stripping, manages to ''[[https://www.schlockmercenary.com/2011-01-21 break]]'' a corrupt starport security guard by complying with his request for a strip search.
* Pip from ''Webcomic/SequentialArt'' has promised to sell a squirrel girl (namely Scarlet) to an online buyer named Eyurin for four thousand British pounds. When Pip can't locate Scarlet and can't refund the money, Eyurin protests by fully disrobing on the front lawn in strip #165. Even Pip's flatmates, Art and Kat, are horrified and {{squick}}ed at this sight.

* British comic strip ''ComicStrip/{{Axa}}'' begins with the title protagonist Axa tearing away the top of her uniform, baring her breasts. Axa refuses to be a mindless brood mother in a CrapsaccharineWorld CityInABottle. She makes a run for the airlock, and escapes into the wild, where her pursuers dare not venture. Axa will later fashion a bandeau top and loincloth from what's left of her uniform.

--> '''Lady Godiva''': Apparently it's still the only way I can get anyone to listen to me.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' episode, "[[Recap/RugratsS3E15NakedTommyTommyAndTheSecretClub Naked Tommy]]", Tommy [[NakedPeopleAreFunny decides to take off his clothes]] when he sees how much fun his dog Spike has being naked. Every time Stu tries to put his diaper back on him, he takes it off again. When Phil and Lil come over, Tommy convinces them to strip by telling them that clothes are only good for getting dirty or wet, and make them feel hot and itchy. When Betty sees the twins naked, she is not happy with this, and blames Didi for allowing it to happen. This also forces Stu to make a last-minute invention to keep Tommy from taking his clothes off during Grandpa Lou's award ceremony at the Wombat Lodge, but Tommy is able to get the invention off when he uses a fork to pull its mechanism apart. At the end of the episode, Tommy learns how important clothing is and decides not to take his clothes off again, [[ALessonLearnedTooWell not even when he takes a bath]].
* In the ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' episode, "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS2E2SomethingSmellsBossyBoots Bossy Boots]]", Pearl turns the Krusty Krab into a teenage paradise called the Kuddly Krab, and gives Mr. Krabs, [=SpongeBob=], and Squidward new uniforms to wear. While [=SpongeBob=] and Mr. Krabs both like the new uniforms, [[BadJobWorseUniform Squidward does not]], and when a sign for the Kuddly Krab gets put up, Squidward tries to knock it down. After Millie and Fred mistake Squidward for a lady when they ask him where they can get something to eat (believing that Mr. Krabs sold the Krusty Krab), Squidward quits out of frustration and rips his uniform off, leaving him naked. At this point, a police officer shows up and puts a ticket over Squidward's groin (which is odd, since [[HalfDressedCartoonAnimal Squidward normally doesn't wear pants anyway]]).

* A female student at Cornell wore shorts to practice her thesis presentation, and was advised by her professor to dress more modestly, claiming that showing that much skin would distract people. [[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/letitia-chai-cornell-student-strips-underwear-thesis-professor-rebekah-maggor-attire/ She gave her actual thesis presentation in her underwear]] as an act of protest.
[[/folder]]

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* In ''Film/VonRyansExpress'', the [=POWs=] have not had new uniforms (which they are entitled to) issued by the camp staff, despite their old ones being little more than rags and infested with lice. The prisoners burn their old uniforms and report for parade clad only in their caps and boots. After some initial blustering, the camp commandant has no choice but to issue them new uniforms.

* In ''Literature/TheMillenniumTrilogy'', when Lisbeth Salander is first brought to live with her legal guardian Holger Palmgren, she decides to take off her clothes and walk around his house naked just to see what he will do. When he chastises her for this, she decides that he was probably not a pedophile, and he becomes one of the few people she trusts.

* In ''[[Literature/SwordOfTruth Wizard's First Rule]]'', Denna strips in preparation for her death because all her clothing dates from her [[TortureTechnician Mord-Sith]] days and she wants to [[DyingAsYourself die as ''herself'']].

* Pip from ''Webcomic/SequentialArt'' has promised to sell a squirrel girl (namely Scarlet) to an online buyer named Eyurin for four thousand British pounds. When Pip can't locate Scarlet and can't refund the money, Eyurin protests by fully disrobing on the front lawn in strip #165. Even Pip's flatmates, Art and Kat, are horrified and squicked at this sight.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' episode, "[[Recap/RugratsS3E15NakedTommyTommyAndTheSecretClub Naked Tommy]]", Tommy [[NakedPeopleAreFunny decides to take off his clothes]] when he sees how much fun his dog, Spike has being naked. Every time Stu tries to put his diaper back on him, he takes it off again. When Phil and Lil come over, Tommy convinces them to strip by telling them that clothes are only good for getting dirty or wet, and make them feel hot and itchy. When Betty sees the twins naked, she is not happy with this, and blames Didi for allowing it to happen. This also forces Stu to make a last-minute invention to keep Tommy from taking his clothes off during Grandpa Lou's award ceremony at the Wombat Lodge, but Tommy is able to get the invention off when he uses a fork to pull its mechanism apart. At the end of the episode, Tommy learns how important clothing is and decides not to take his clothes off again, [[ALessonLearnedTooWell not even when he takes a bath]].

[[/folder]]

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* ''ComicBook/{{Barracuda}}'': After her mother suffers a ShamefulStrip on the auction block at the SlaveMarket in "Slaves", Maria throws off the hands of the slavers as they come for her and voluntarily removes her gown and stands naked in front of the market: cowing the audience with her DeathGlare.

* In ''Film/YoungLadyChatterleyII'', Lady Chatterley undertakes a nude public horse ride (''a la'' Lady Godiva) across the estate; recreating an exploit of one of her ancestors as part of a scheme to [[SavingTheOrphanage save the estate]].

* According to a legend dating back to at least the 13th C., Lady Godive rode naked through the streets of Coventry to gain a remission of the oppressive taxation that her husband, Leofric, imposed on his tenants. Depending on the source, she may have [[GodivaHair covered herself with her long hair]] or even worn a shift. Wearing the latter in public would have been considered scandalous and indecent for a noblewoman at the time.

* In ''Literature/TheMillenniumTrilogy'', when Lisbeth Salander was first brought to live with her legal guardian Holger Palmgren, she decided to take off her clothes and walk around his house naked just to see what he would do. When he chastised her for this, she decided that he was probably not a pedophile, and he became one of the few people she trusts.

* In ''[[Literature/SwordOfTruth Wizard's First Rule]]'', Denna strips in preparation for her death, because all her clothing is from her being [[TortureTechnician Mord-Sith]], and she wants to [[DyingAsYourself die as ''herself'']].

* ''Series/{{Charmed}}'': When a student at magic school conjured Lady Godiva from the past, she takes her clothes off whenever she feels ignored.

* ''Series/GreysAnatomy'': Izzie is mocked by Alex for having done some work as a model in the past. After he plasters photos of one of her lingerie photoshoots all over the locker room, she finally has enough. In one of the show's most iconic scenes, she strips down in front of ''everyone'', inviting them to "check out the booty that put Izzie Stevens through medical school." She then shuts Alex up by saying, "You want to call me 'Dr. Model'? That's fine. Just remember that while you're sitting on two hundred grand of student loans, I'm out of debt."
* In the season 1 finale of ''Series/JulieAndThePhantoms'', Luke, Alex, and Reggie are enchanted into high-end suits by [[BigBad Caleb]] as he gives them AnOfferYouCantRefuse in the form of a musical number. However, once they are able to break free of the spell and reunite with Julie, [[https://spadesinglasses.tumblr.com/post/629614874362789888/the-boys-breaking-free-from-calebs-magic their outfits have changed]] to match their usual style, illustrating them staying true to themselves and their band regardless of the cost. Luke ditches the jacket [[SleevesAreForWimps and the sleeves of his shirt entirely]], as he is TheLeader and a MrFanservice, Alex wears his jacket open with his shirt collar and sleeves partially undone, as he is the most gentle, laid-back member of the group, and Reggie sheds the jacket and wears a few extra pins on his vest, fitting his somewhat punk-inspired aesthetic.

* Pip from ''Webcomic/SequentialArt'' has promised to sell a squirrel girl (namely Scarlet) to an online buyer named Eyurin for four thousand British pounds. When Pip can't locate Scarlet, and can't refund the money, Eyurin protests by stripping naked on the front lawn in strip #165. Even Pip's flatmates, Art and Kat, are horrified and squicked at this sight.

* ''WesternAnimation/BobsBurgers'': In "Beefsquatch", Bob gets a cooking segment on a local TV show, but Gene in a Sasquatch mask keeps interrupting with his antics. The producers think this makes for good television and encourages their rivalry, which gets to the point where Bob and Gene fight on camera. Upset at what the TV show is doing to her family, Linda tries to stop the broadcast, first by swearing (which fails because [[GoshDarnItToHeck the words she thinks are swears aren't as strong as she thought]]) then by flashing her breasts on air, which gets them cancelled.

* A female student at Cornell wore shorts to practice her thesis presentation, and was advised by her professor to dress more modestly, claiming that showing that much skin would distract people. [[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/letitia-chai-cornell-student-strips-underwear-thesis-professor-rebekah-maggor-attire/ So she gave her actual thesis presentation in her underwear]] as an act of protest.

In ''[[Literature/SwordOfTruth Wizard's First Rule]]'', Denna strips in preparation for her death, because all her clothing is from her being [[TortureTechnician Mord-Sith]], and she wants to [[DyingAsYourself die as ''herself'']].

[[AC:Comic Books]]

[[AC:Comic Strips]]

[[AC:Film -- Live Action]]

[[AC:Folklore]]
* According to a legend dating back to at least the 13th C., Lady Godive rode naked through the streets of Coventry to gain a remission of the oppressive taxation that her husband, Leofric, imposed on his tenants. Depending on the source, she may have covered herself with her long hair or even worn a shift. Wearing the latter in public would have been considered scandalous and indecent for a noblewoman at the time.

[[AC:Literature]]

[[AC:Live Action TV]]

[[AC:WebComics]]

[[AC:Western Animation]]

[[AC:Real Life]]
* A female student at Cornell wore shorts to practice her thesis presentation, and was advised by her professor to dress more modestly, claiming that showing that much skin would distract people. [[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/letitia-chai-cornell-student-strips-underwear-thesis-professor-rebekah-maggor-attire/ So she gave her actual thesis presentation in her underwear]] as an act of protest.