As Ben Brewer expressed his disapproval of Penn State's link to sweatshops, his jockstrap was just as effective as the protest signs and rally chants.

With only a set of pom-poms tucked inside the front of his jockstrap, Brewer (junior-philosophy) demonstrated alongside 20 other students yesterday, most of them also minimally dressed.

"The theme is 'nothing to wear' -- mostly because we would really like to wear Penn State clothing, but we are not given that option by administrators," Theresa Haas (senior-biology) said as she held a well-placed rally poster over her Saran-wrapped chest. "It may seem very radical and extreme, but conditions in sweatshops are extreme, too."

The event stemmed from concern regarding the university's involvement with apparel companies that use sweatshop labor to produce trademarked Penn State gear, Haas added.

Beginning at noon yesterday, the band of protesters marched through the HUB-Robeson Center, drawing smiles and stares from lunching onlookers.

"I thought it was a little excessive," Andrew Vanloon (freshman-finance) said as he glanced over a flier handed to him by a demonstrator. "I think people would bitch more if prices [of apparel] went up."

With most participants wearing nude-colored underwear and homemade signs strategically concealing private areas, the group walked from Pollock Road to the Pattee Library mall before pausing in front of Old Main.

"It caught our attention, but there was no nudity -- except for a little behind," Ryan Bennington (senior-international politics) said.

As Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back" and other upbeat music blared from a boom box, the group chanted "Make Penn State sweatshop free" and "Tell President Spanier to stop supporting sweatshops."

"It was random; I didn't understand it," Shatonya Perry (senior-nursing) said as she sat dining at the lower level of the HUB. "Their banner was blurry, and they walked too fast."

Natasha Julien (senior-nursing) agreed and said a more organized approach would have been more memorable.

"Maybe if they would have made a speech, they would have got a reaction," she said.

Haas said the overall reaction from the student body was positive, estimating that at least 400 fliers were distributed.

"Everyone was really excited; we even had some spontaneous strippers," Haas said, adding that interested students may participate tomorrow in an online petition at www.sweatfreepsu.org, a Web site aimed at Penn State administrators.

With the words "sweat free" scrawled across his butt, Brewer said that although some people refused to accept a leaflet, the majority of students appreciated the group's effort.

"Some people got a kick out of it and took pictures with their digital cameras and camera phones," Brewer said. "And that jockstrap -- I haven't worn that thing for like 11 years."