The University of Warwick’s rowing team set gay hearts aflutter again this year when it released its annual nude calendar and accompanying behind-the-scenes video. But England’s National Union of Students says the project, and similar ones around the world featuring clothing-free co-eds, demean students.
“Not only do the women in these calendars find their photographs on pornographic websites without their consent, they also receive on-going harassment on campus,” Kelley Temple, the NUS women’s officer told The Times. “More generally they contribute to an increasingly toxic air of misogyny and objectification on some campuses.”
Firstly, it’s the male calendars that get all the buzz, Ms. Temple—and while the same warning about photos winding up on porn sites apply, it’s 2013: Who doesn’t have a naked photo buzzing around the Interet?
More importantly, most of the calendars support respectable charities. The Warwick calendar raises funds for rugby star Ben Cohen’s StandUp Foundation, which combats bullying and homophobia. “We have had a huge amount of support from the gay community over the last four years, and this is our way of saying thank you,” said the team in a statement.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
It would be downright rude of us not to appreciate such a nice thank you.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ku4eX-mmsA]
Source: Pink News
2eo
As someone who until 2 years ago was a lead member of the NUS at my university I can honestly and safely say that the people who have taken control are a bunch of halfwits.
This is the same group, a mere year after I left, smashed up London and chanted Anti-Semitic rantings at jewish politicians, loudly chanting for him to be killed. They have no place in the student or youth culture of our nation, nor do they represent LGBT students like myself anymore. Do not give them the oxygen, they’ve taken the extremist cult bandwagon and abandoned any semblance of representing students rights.
dykeventura
It must be 2012 still…or the poles have shifted because I find myself defending the guys on this one. I have only seen 1…yes ONE female sports calendar and they were all wearing BRAS and panties!!!!!!! HOW BORING is that??? I have seen the sports calendars featuring guys and they are all nude. What a double standard, and I am not blaming the men on this one. It’s us this time covering up and acting as if we are all nuns or something. We need to stop being prudes and holier-than-thou in our soapbox, post-feminist routines. After all these are calendars for titillation NOT to bring attention to how well we can play field hockey or rugby or basketball. They are also sensual for a reason…to bring awareness and money to charitable causes! So I say to Ms. Temple and any other woman who is trying to set us back 150 years, get a clue. Go strip naked and participate in the WNBR (world naked bike ride) and perhaps you can see how freeing nudity can truly be. By the way I mean TOTALLY nude not like many women who think wearing your bra and matching panties is somehow the guys who always go commando. Get naked…and support a good cause like these guys in the calendars!
Dinodogstar
‘Demeaning’ and’degrading’ are some people’s cup of tea.. their bodies, their choices, I say…and what’s ‘demeaning’ about the calendar picture of the rower? He is the one with the paddle..
Cosmic Destroyer
“Student Groups” complain about a lot of things. Tell “Womyn’s officer” Kelley Temple and her cadre of Andrea Dworkin throwbacks that it’s none of my business what she does with her body, and it’s sure as hell none of her business what I look at when I’m alone.
toren123
Go for it guys! Any who are upset by this should take a long walk off a short pier, and I hope the water is icy cold! This IS about student rights; its about focusing attention on a great sport; its about raising money for a good cause. Thanks guys, for having the courage to bare it all (well, almost).
2eo
@toren123: Agreed, if it makes any difference I can say I was never a part of anything like this. These idiots are ruining all the good work we were doing.
We had actual meetings with government and education officials to discuss policies, they’ve undone a decade of good work in 2 years.
There’s nothing about these calendars that is demeaning, it doesn’t encourage harassment and it doesn’t infringe on anyone at all. It DOES raise money for charity in an interesting and incredibly attractive way.
goweho
The pictures are artistic and tasteful. It doesn’t look like pornography, so its puzzling why its such a big deal. Perhaps its a ruse to increase calendar sales lol
Spike
Just going to take a wild guess that Kelley Temple, the NUS women’s officer . . . closeted lesbian . . . Women Studies major.