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Today's issue of Xtra!, Toronto's gay and lesbian bi-weekly paper, has five articles by various writers, all very much in support of nudists in the parade!
This lead editorial by the publisher, David Walberg (page 9), comes out very strongly against the Pride Committee: "Pride volunteers are required to be police informants, reporting any nudity sighting to officers. Shame on Pride. The committee may not want to endorse nudity, but it is not obliged to police it."
As for the Pride Committee's defence that it is buckling under pressure from city bureaucrats, Walberg responds: "I dare you. Pride will happen with or without a permit. And without one, perhaps we'll all show up in the nude -- in protest."
He later says, "Some think nudists are high-jacking Pride with an unrelated agenda. But you can't accpet your sexuality if you can't accept your body. Bodies are not indecent and it makes sense to assert this at Pride."
He closes with "To those celebrating their bodies at Pride, Xtra salutes you." It's a great summary of the many in favour points of view.
In this news item on page 11, reporter Duncan Hood starts off with the visit to our last TNT!MEN Planning Meeting by gay City Councilor Kyle Rae. I've known Kyle for many years, back from when I was Treasurer for Lesbian and Gay Youth of Toronto (LGYT) and he was the Executive Director of the 519 Church Street Community Centre. He would co-sign the cheques, so we had many short visits during that year.
I have a lot of respect for Kyle; he has sacrificed his private life for a public one with few rewards because of what he believes in. He's done a great job on the Toronto City Council, and has worked very hard to listen to all sides of the issues and try to find sensible compromises.
Kyle came to speak to us because he hadn't heard much in the way of support for nude marchers in the Pride parade. From what he can see, the gay community does not appear to be behind us, and he warned us that if there was any police intervention, the crowd and community would not rally to our support.
There is lots more to this article and in the issue, which I will summarise eventually, but I've got to run!