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Posted - 01/21/2003 : 3:58:27 PM
Hanlan's Point - Toronto, Canada
"The naked truth about nude beaches" | Intrepid reporter grimaces and bares it all | Catherine Porter | TORSTAR NEWS SERVICE
The TorStar News Service ran this story of a reporter's first time at Hanlan's Point clothing optional beach in Toronto, Canada. |
| 2 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Admin |
Posted - 03/13/2003 : 2:55:26 PM
Some history of the establishment of Hanlan's Point as a clothing-optional facility.
Eye.net - 09.09.99
No sex, please -- we're nudists
Longtime Hanlan's Point patrons chafe under 'strict lifestyle' rules
BY NATE HENDLEY
A cultural clash has broken out at Hanlan's Point between horny couples and a no-sex nudist group whose leader has been dubbed "the fascist dictator of the nude beach."
At stake is the future of Toronto's only legal, clothing-optional swim site and whether it remains a laid-back, mostly gay hangout or becomes a family-oriented nudist area with its own rules and regulations.
Dave Fleming, founder of the Hanlan's Beach Naturists (HBN), favours the latter. Founded last April and boasting nearly 100 members, HBN advocates a "European-style nude beach" at Hanlan's -- which means no copulating couples.
"The naturist's lifestyle is a strict lifestyle in terms of behaviour," explains Fleming. "It is not 'anything goes.' "
Fleming says he's practical, not prudish. City council only approved nude bathing at Hanlan's as a one-year pilot project and politicians aren't likely to okay a permanent nude beach if the site develops a rep for debauchery, he says.
To prevent Hanlan's from sliding in a sexual free-for-all, HBN has been conducting patrols to educate nudists about beach etiquette.
These patrols have angered longtime nudists such as Nancy Irwin, who's been going to Hanlan's for more than 20 years. The area has been "a nude gay beach as far back as I remember," says Irwin. "The heavy gay male presence made it a very safe place for women."
On Aug. 15, however, Irwin and her lover, Bear Thunderfire, had an unpleasant run-in with Fleming after the partially clothed pair were seen making out on the sand.
"We were kissing and smooching, being sensual," recalls Thunderfire.
Later that day, long after they'd quit smooching, the pair was approached by Fleming. He said he'd received a complaint and claims the pair were "sucking breasts" in the open.
The two women say Fleming picked on them because they're lesbians and accuse the HBN founder of being homophobic and fascist.
Fleming admits he chastised the women, but denies the charge of homophobia. HBN has to talk to "an average of a couple of people each weekend" about frisky behaviour, he says, and makes no distinction between straights and gays.
Fleming sees himself as a social director, helping ease Hanlan's transition from a clandestine gay hangout to an open, inclusive naturist place. "Unfortunately," he says, "there is a tiny minority who are undisciplined, who don't understand that a naturist beach is a non-sexual area."
Some of those undisciplined few have been sending complaints to TNT!MEN (Totally Naked Toronto Men Enjoying Nudity), a mostly gay male organization on the nudist cutting edge. The organization has received one dozen complaints about the group, either verbally or by email, notes Peter Simm, TNT!MEN's lawyer.
Simm, who wrote a lengthy brief for city council outlining the benefits of nudism at Hanlan's Point, says these complaints come from both gays and straights. But he's reluctant to condemn Fleming and points out that other nude sites, such as Vancouver's Wreck Beach, also have HBN-style organizations charged with keeping a lid on public sex.
The worst Simm will say about HBN is that some critics question "how much finesse or diplomatic skill goes into promoting [their] beach etiquette."
Despite the fact he represents a group best known for its threats to march naked in the city's Gay Pride Parade, Simm seems fairly conservative when it comes to sex at Hanlan's Point. Public sex "is something that would jeopardize the official clothing optional status" of the area, he says, echoing Fleming's statement.
Stephane Deschenes, president of the Federati |
| Admin |
Posted - 03/13/2003 : 2:38:32 PM
March 2, 2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Last evening (Wed., March 1st), Toronto City Council voted to extend the clothing-optional beach pilot project at Hanlan's Point for another two years. (as recommended on Feb. 14/00 by the Economic Development Committee) Council also voted in favour of an amendment moved by Councillor Kyle Rae, with the effect that the clothing-optional zone is now about 30% larger, with the northern boundary being moved 120 metres north to the lifeguard tower.
The beach project has been dubbed a success. During peak times, up to 400 people would be on the clothing-optional section and only 40 people in the 'textile' section next to it. This contrasts sharply with extremely sparse use of that beach in past years.
The popularity of the Hanlan's Point clothing-optional beach is reflected in ferry use. While overall ferry traffic to the islands were down 1.9%, the traffic on the Hanlan's Point ferry was up by 11.2%.
Contrary to what has been suggested, the beach is open to all users whether they want to be nude or not. Those beach users will now have lifeguard protection when they go in the water in the clothing-optional zone.
For the report prepared by the Department of Economic Development, Culture, and Tourism and presented at the February 14, 2000 meeting of the Economic Development Committee of the Toronto City Council, visit:
http://gypsy.rose.utoronto.ca/tnt/beach/staffreport2000.html
For background information, visit:
http://www.FCN.ca/media
Contacts:
* Peter Simm, TNT!MEN (author of the original recommendation) (416) 368-7316
* Stéphane Deschênes, Federation of Canadian Naturists (416) 219-5856
As defined by the International Naturist Federation, Naturism is a way of life in harmony with nature, characterized by the practice of communal nudity, with the intention of encouraging respect for oneself, respect for others and for the environment.
The Federation of Canadian Naturists (FCN), with La Fédération Québécoise de Naturisme (FQN) constitute the national nudist organization in Canada. Internationally recognized by affiliation to the International Naturist Federation (INF), we strive to:
* promote naturism/nudism to Canadians
* help naturists and nudist find how and where they can enjoy the naturist/nudist life
* represent the interests of Canadian naturist/nudist individuals, families, clubs, resorts, and organizations.
The International Naturist Federation (INF) represents naturists in over 30 countries. Founded in August 1953 at the Montalivet naturist resort in France and based in Belgium, it is dedicated to the world-wide acceptance of naturist ideals and lifestyle-recreational social nudism. |
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