TORONTO

Councillor Doug Ford defended Mayor Rob Ford’s decision to keep skipping Toronto’s Pride parade by arguing he doesn’t want to see “buck naked men running down the street.”

Ford’s defence of his brother came as councillors questioned the mayor’s refusal to attend Pride, particularly this year when the city is hosting World Pride, and Pride officials revealed they might not even invite Ford to the event given past “homophobic” comments.

“He’s not homophobic, he has friends that are gay, he just chooses not to go,” Councillor Ford told reporters on Thursday.

“I spoke to some folks in the gay community and they said they aren’t going because they didn’t like the idea of men running, middle-aged men with pot bellies running down the street buck naked and they didn’t feel comfortable they could take their kids there.”

The Etobicoke North (Ward 2) councillor made reference to “buck naked men” several times.

“I was down there, I brought my kids down there and I wouldn’t bring my kids back when there is buck naked men running down the street,” Ford said. “I’m not dissing anyone in the gay community ... but no, do I condone men running down the middle of Yonge St. buck naked, absolutely not.”

At a mayoral campaign debate on Wednesday night, Mayor Ford came out confirming he won’t be going to the Pride parade.

“I am not going to go to Pride. I’ve never been to a Pride parade. So I’m not going to change the way I am,” Ford said.

Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam — the only openly gay member of council — stressed Pride is an inclusive event.

“The community is not monoculture in nature, we have a cacophony of voices … and they are all welcome,” Wong-Tam said.

She described Councillor Ford’s comments as “baiting.”

“I don’t know why he tries to repeat certain language that can be quite inflammatory,” Wong-Tam said. “Perhaps he’s playing to his base, perhaps he’s trying to create a wedge issue for the election but I do think many Torontonians are above and beyond that.”

Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly said the mayor should attend the Pride parade and said he will be at the event.

“It is going to showcase the larger city and its open and caring nature,” Kelly said about World Pride.

Kelly met with Pride Toronto executive director Kevin Beaulieu on Thursday.

Beaulieu said they have yet to send out invitations for World Pride and said it isn’t clear if they would invite the mayor.

“There is a very recent history of homophobic comments on video and we would have to think about that very carefully before any specific invitation was issued,” he said.