Couleurs Nationales: Peter by Chris Teel

'I am very fortunate to be living in Canada where I can (for the most part as a gay white man) be who I want to be without many/any repercussions.'

Peter

The national colours of Canada (Couleurs nationales du Canada) were declared officially as red and white by King George V in 1921. Red is symbolic of England and white of France. Although George V was the King of the United Kingdom, he was also King over the British Dominions which at the time of his reign included Canada. Canada remained officially under British rule until 1867 when Canada became a self-governing dominion, while retaining it's ties to the British crown.

This historical connection to Europe is important in the understanding of how Canadians live and think. Although geographically connected to the United States, Canadians are for the most part, are philosophically more closely tied to their European roots. Canadians are often considered, described and even mocked for their politeness. This perceived politeness most likely stemmed from their British counter parts and their reputation for 'the stiff upper lip'. Many have assumed this phrase refers to a lack of emotion, but for Canadians, it's more about being understated, and showing a bit of self-restraint with the expression of emotions.

Canadians feel emotion, pride, and love country deeply. The expression of pride however, has been historically been more seen than heard. It's felt and known, it doesn't necessarily have to be proved. Canadians are generally quieter about pride, it's usually seen on their faces in their smiles, and in their eyes. Where as some countries feel the need to be The Greatest, Canadians are generally more content with just knowing they're Great. It should be noted that this does not apply to Hockey, (especially during the Olympics) nor as anyone who watched knows, the NBA play-offs if the Raptors make the finals.

So, why the history lesson and commentary on Canadian Pride? Well, it all sort of played a role in the creation of this shoot. The theme of understatement, stemming from national colors, was a part of what photographer Chris Teel wanted to capture in his Canada Day shoot with Peter. Chris Teel was one of the first Canadian photographers of the male form that I featured on FH. Since that first post back in 2009, I always look forward to showcasing Chris' work, especially so on Canada Day.

Although white may be an understated color, it's hard to be understated when the magnificent Peter Kelly is bulging behind it. Peter wears the red and white with pride. Peter shares that he has finally started to grow into his body, and although he feels he still has a way to go, has worked hard the last few months at the gym getting his body in shape. Peter perfectly showcases the red and white, especially the red jock and Canadian Cock T-shirt provided for the shoot by Toronto designer, Raw Studio Designs.

'Working with Chris Teel and it has been such a fun time! Modelling for Chris has allowed me to fully embrace my body and sexuality. I am such a sexual/open person (I think we all are deep down but tend to suppress it) so it's been amazing to just finally let go and let it all hang out. I hope by talking more about my sexuality and doing things such as photoshoots it will allow people to feel confident to open up and truly be the free expressive humans they want to me!'

Peter

As for the Canada Day theme, Peter says it added a fun element and brought forth a perspective that was also personal for him. In addition to pride in country, Canadians are also express pride over their history of being ahead of the curb when it comes to gay rights. Although Canadians know they still have a long way to go in many areas, they are a country proud to their commitment to be always pushing forward, while being mindful of the issues and pain of the past.  Peter put this beautifully into words in describing his pride in his country below.

'I am very fortunate to be living in Canada where I can (for the most part as a gay white man) be who I want to be without many/any repercussions. Most countries around the world do not have the protections for people on the LGBTQ+ spectrum like we do and for that I am forever grateful. It is crazy to think if I was born on the other side of the border my life could be vastly different.'

'I love Canada and am so proud of how far we have come but we too also have a lot of work to do. Although I am fortunate to be living in such a great country, it's also hard not to recognize the injustices towards indigenous peoples and continuous struggles for others on the queer spectrum that are not treated the same as other LGBTQ+ folks. Some of these that come to mind are trans, two-spirited, POC, woman, non-binary folks etc. The list is much longer than I even know but it's something I continue to learn about everyday. I think Canada Day stands as a good reminder to recognize all the work that needs to be done to create a safe, true north for all.'

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Peter Kelly

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