The naked truth about Calgary’s deplorable moral panic
Thursday, the City of Calgary cancelled a private swim event at Calgary’s Southland Leisure Centre to be hosted by Calgary Nude Recreation. The city didn’t suspend the event because the swimmers were going to be naked. It cancelled because an online mob, whipped to a frenzy on social media, made such vile and virulent threats that the city actually feared for the physical safety of the naturists. Calgary police were investigating at least one of those threats.
It was quintessential Calgary NIMBYism — but at a fever pitch.
“There was a bomb threat. There were people who were saying we’re going to write down all the licence plate numbers and post them as pedophiles, we’re going to take a baseball bat to car windows,” Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi told CBC Radio on Friday.
“Hopefully, people like this will be invited to enter the ovens,” wrote one person on the Southland Leisure Centre’s Facebook page, in a horrific allusion to the Holocaust.
“I know the left wants to downplay and accept pedophilia. Maybe this is the way?” read another.
“I’ll never set foot in Southland Leisure Centre with my family after hearing about your pedophile soup event,” wrote yet another.
Now, you may find the idea of people getting together to swim naked to be silly. Or weird. Or even abhorrent. But it’s outrageous that a hysterical bunch of internet bullies shut down a legal event by threatening violence against those who simply wanted to swim in the buff. It’s 2018. When did skinny dipping suddenly become the devil’s work? When was control of Calgary ceded to some homegrown altright Taliban?
“I do think they’ve lost their minds in Calgary,” said Ray Jorristma, who’s been running the Edmonton Naturist Swim Group for more than 30 years. “We host family-friendly, non-sexual events. There’s a lot of misunderstanding about naturism. Just because you’re getting nude doesn’t mean you’re about to have sex.”
Jorristma screens everyone who comes to his events — you can’t just walk in off the street. Participants must shower with soap before entering the pool. And nudist etiquette dictates everyone who sits on a chair must sit on a towel. And, he said, it’s healthy for children to see ordinary people naked, to learn that most of us don’t look like the models we see in magazines and movies.
Here in Edmonton, city pools have been hosting “clothing optional” private swimming events for more than 30 years. Until this month, the City of Edmonton has never dealt with an issue, a complaint or a concern. There was just one complaint to the city’s 311 line this week, after the Calgary tempest hit.
Edmonton conducted its own review of clothing-optional rental events in 2008 to ensure safety and security. Children under 18 can only attend with a parent or guardian — and parents have to present the child’s birth certificate to city staff a day in advance of the event, to prove guardianship. Doors are locked during the events. And all lifeguards and staff have the right to refuse to work at a naturist event.
John Martens runs nude swims for the CottonTail Corner naturist society. (They also host nude scuba classes, nude yoga and supervise the CottonTail Corners nude beach, just west of Edmonton.) Martens also screens people who come to his events — and requires each of them to register in advance, and to provide a copy of their driver’s licence.
Martens says his two children, 12 and 19, have always enjoyed the nude swims. He’s horrified that some have portrayed the events as something deviant.
“It’s wholesome family entertainment. When people say it should only be for 18 plus, they make it sound like something kinky is going on. But it’s upsetting that people who are against wholesome naturism for children are willing to make threats to harm those same kids.”
Martens and Jorristma have experienced no backlash, despite the Calgary witch hunt. Martens is going ahead with his scheduled event at Hardisty Pool this Saturday. Indeed, he’s hired an extra lifeguard, in case nudists from Calgary want to come for a swim.
I hope Edmonton will remain immune from the moral panic that swept Calgary this week. I hope we continue to let our nudists swim in peace, even if we don’t care to join them. That degree of civility is a bare necessity. Don’t like it? Don’t look.
It’s upsetting that people who are against ... naturism for children are willing to make threats to harm those same kids.”