Gay men wrestling naked
"It's confronting and not pleasant," she said, after seeing a naked man while walking her dog during a previous festival.īut Mr Smith denied any public displays of nudity outside the festival site, and said the objections were based on homophobia.Īfter public consultations, the council has put a number of conditions in place. Tatong Concerned Petitioners spokeswoman Karen Cox has said the community was concerned about displays of public nudity at previous events and around town which could be seen by members of the community. However, the NudeManFest has drawn the ire of some in Tatong, with the local council having to grant a permit for the event late last year after a number of community objections. ( Laurence Barnes) Event to be fenced to shield activities The three-day festival features a number of activities from body image workshops to jelly wrestling.
"They meet new people and leave with many new friends." "To come out of the tent and socialise," he said. This was further encouraged by the lack of phone reception on the property, which would encourage more conversation. He said this included sharing meals and having a drink together to help facilitate conversation. Mr Barnes said the other aspect of NudeManFest was for people to come together at a festival designed for communal sharing. "Over time I learnt to become a lot happier with who I am and what I have." Communal sharing "Everyone has their own body and everyone is perfect in their own way. "I realised we are all different and there's no such thing as the perfect body," Mr Barnes said. Suffering from self-esteem issues, he was impressed by the display of different body shapes and sizes. Mr Barnes remembers attending his first festival as a participant and feeling nervous and scared. The festival, in its fifth year, aims to celebrate body image and community.
"You become equal you just become another person that has their own strengths and weaknesses." "When you strip off your clothes, you strip off a lot of your labels and who you are in terms of what society sets on you. "There are a range of different people with different stories and different body types and they all have something interesting to share," Mr Barnes said. I realised we are all different and there's no such thing as the perfect body.Ĭo-organiser Laurence Barnes said nudity was crucial in helping celebrate diversity, which helped with body image issues. Yoga, jelly wrestling, hiking and a dance party are some of the activities on offer at the NudeManFest, which starts in the small town of Tatong in north-east Victoria on Thursday.įounder Kevin Smith, whose private property hosts NudeManFest, said at the heart of the event - which is part of the Midsumma gay and lesbian festival - was the issue of body image and how men saw themselves. A festival where men can enjoy a range of activities while nude has been billed as a men's shed without clothes.