Dear Urban Decoder: Is it legal to hang out naked on your boat in Toronto Harbour?—Marc Pettigrew, High Park
It’s been 12 years since the Ontario Court of Appeal gave women the right to go topless, but when and where it’s OK to expose your bottom bits is more complicated. The Canadian Criminal Code forbids going totally nude in public, unless you have a “lawful excuse” (like changing in a locker room). “_‘Public’ isn’t about whether you’re on private property,” says Stephane Deschenes of the Federation of Canadian Naturists. “It’s more about if you can be seen from a public place.” That said, being prosecuted for indecent exposure is unlikely since someone has to actually lodge a complaint against you, but to be safe, Deschenes suggests those desperate to bask in their birthday suits head to Hanlan’s Point. Designated clothing optional in 1999, the beach (a quick ferry ride from Queens Quay and Bay) is a great place to take in a view of the Toronto skyline—or some full frontal, if you’re so inclined.
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