by Peter S
According to the International Naturist Federation, "Naturism / nudism is a way of living in harmony with nature, characterized by the practice of social nudity, with the intention of encouraging respect for yourself, respect for others, and care for the environment."
Obviously, a gay nudist living in downtown Toronto is surrounded by asphalt and concrete rather than forests and wildlife. Bambi is rarely seen ordering a cappuccino on Church Street. Whatever nature we have in our immediate vicinity is more likely to be a flowerbox on an apartment balcony, or a small patch of manicured lawn comprising a city parkette. Few of us have the luxury of our own suburban-sized backyard.
This is a reasonable trade-off for living in the heart of one of the best downtowns in the world. I suspect most urban gay males would side with Lisa rather than Douglas in the "Green Acres" theme-song debate. (Personally, I just adore a penthouse view.) But I thank God (and city by-laws) that there are at least some well-treed streets.
Probably the biggest slice of nature in the centre of the city is found in the ravines. Farther south, the Leslie Street Spit provides refuge for a surprising variety of wildlife, but it's hard to forget that you're on a landfill site that's open to the public only on weekends. There, or along the shore of Lake Ontario, you can literally turn your back on the city and gaze toward the green, green Toronto Islands. Alas, a quick ferry ride reveals the verdant reality of an amusement park and yet more manicured lawns. The relatively "natural" beach at Hanlan's Point may allow your imagination to briefly soar with the squawking seagulls, but a quintessentially urban view-the Toronto skyline-beckons across the chilly, glittering waters.
Let's face it: the city is made for camp, not for camping. Here, "living in harmony with nature" means evading overhead pigeons, side-stepping dog poo, and making diligent use of your Blue Box. Our scheduled nude events generally take place in man-made venues, not the forest primeval.
That doesn't mean that members of TNT!MEN shouldn't do their part to "care for the environment", to help protect endangered species and ensure our planet isn't poisoned. But it does mean I'd feel silly pretending that I am somehow "living in harmony with nature" by attending nude social events in downtown Toronto.
In an urban environment, perhaps the closest I can hope for is to live in harmony with the people who share my city. I feel an especially fun way to do this is to participate actively in TNT!MEN, to socialize naked "with the intention of encouraging respect for yourself, [and] respect for others."