Naked Swimming: Calgary to vote yes or no today
Advocates for naked swimming are on the verge of a major breakthrough when it comes to their right to swim in the nude in public as city officials in Calgary are mulling over the request of a nudest group to have their own swim event in a city pool.
The event, being put together by the Calgary Nude Recreation club has already maxed out when it comes to the number of nude swimmers, and enthusiasm could not be any higher.
The city is supposed to give a thumbs up, or down today, for the event that is scheduled for Sunday at the Southland Leisure Centre.
“Given the attention this event has received, we are undertaking a review with the event organizer to ensure the privacy and security of participants can be maintained,” the city said in a statement.
Opposition is strong
Not everybody is happy with the idea, as an online petition to stop the event has more than 10,000 signatures.
“Sexual predators will be on the prowl,” says the petition posted by April Parker in early January. “Having an event like that is just like Christmas to
them.”
“I do not want to be on the news, making myself a target for harassment,” she said on Facebook Messenger.
“I started this petition because I feel strongly about this, and so do a lot of other people. I don’t know why I am being attacked as an individual when there are over 13,000 who agree.”
Residents of Calgary have also taken to the group’s Facebook page to voice their displeasure, but the nudest group, to their credit has joined in with the conversation on their page to defend themselves.
“The suggestion that our events should be marketed as ‘adult only’ entertainment illustrates the disconnect between what people THINK social nudity is
about versus what social nudity is ACTUALLY about,” it said.
The group also called out Coun. Jeromy Farkas, who has publically criticized the group for allowing children to participate in the event.
“If Jeromy Farkas is concerned about liability to the city, he should be very concerned about possible lawsuits that may result from discrimination against a family-friendly nude group,” said the organization in the statement.
What’s the big deal?
“Well, I think it’s a little odd,” said John Martens, the main administrator of CottonTail Corner, a “naturist” beach near Edmonton.
“I mean, I think it’s mainly because it’s quite new to a lot of people, and with the use of social media they can spread the word a lot faster.”
