Sexy, Sexy, Skeptic Calendars October 26, 2010

Sexy, Sexy, Skeptic Calendars

By Guest Contributor
October 26, 2010

JT Eberhard, Captain of the Missouri State University Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, is one of the organizers of the upcoming Skepticon 3 — a free conference featuring all sorts of awesome people (really, check out that list).

In order to raise money for the event, the organizers created calendars.

Sexy calendars.

Yes, I know what you’re thinking: Hemant, why aren’t you in one of these calendars, you sexy beast?

Because then the calendars would sell out too fast and you wouldn’t be able to get one.

I suppose I’m obligated to inform you there’s a calendar with pictures of men, too…

[REMOVED]

Ok. Enough of that.

You want more? Go buy one.

And if you’re in the Springfield, Missouri area, it’s not too late to register for the conference itself! If you go, you’ll meet some of these people in person. Awkward moments will ensue. It’ll be fantastic.

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  • phira

    Just so you know, the way you present the two sexy calendars (“Look, sexy calendar! And there’s one with men, too, but let’s not dwell on it”) is really alienating. You have female readers. It’s little things like this that make a lot of us feel less welcome. It might not seem like much, but then again, think of all the little things that might make an atheist feel unwelcome somewhere.

  • Just so you know, the way you present the two sexy calendars (“Look, sexy calendar! And there’s one with men, too, but let’s not dwell on it”) is really alienating. You have female readers. It’s little things like this that make a lot of us feel less welcome. It might not seem like much, but then again, think of all the little things that might make an atheist feel unwelcome somewhere.

    The alienating thing would have been to include only the female pics and ignore the male ones.

    I included one, anyway.

    I’m a straight guy.

    Sorry about that…?

  • Veridiana

    @phira

    wow, all this drama just because he put only one sexy calendar with a man?? I’m very confident in myself to feel “alienated” just because the author of my favorite blog posts fewers pictures of men in his site.

  • Daniel

    As another straight man, why post the guy with the tie? The guy with the guitar – way hotter. ;p

  • Thanks Hemant!

    I will point out that you don’t need to be in the Springfield area to register. We have people coming from all over the world and there are still about 250 seats (out of 1,500) up for grabs.

    JT

  • antiphobia

    I’m a woman, I am straight, but I’m not uptight enough to feel alienated by the promotion of naked women. They’re often just as nice to look at as men. And please, that just seems like a case of looking for something to take exception to.

  • Sexy Skeptic, eh? I think I just saw that costume at the local Halloween store….

  • The December skeptic – very smutty. Holding that forbidden symbol to cover her shame! 😛

  • Personally, I prefer loose wrinkly skin on sagging bodies that are not totally upright, but I am willing to accommodate Hemant in his preference for calendar models that are closer to his own age.

    And, yes, Hemant should have been a model in this. It should have been written in the contract.

  • SecularLez

    Ooooh….I just might buy one.
    I’m always into sexy women…especially sexy atheist women!

  • SecularLez

    Hemant, you did nothing to warrant an apology. It’s just another person who feels the world should revolve around them.
    ::sigh::

    Boo hoo! Only one picture of a guy! I am so alienated!! /sarcasm

  • As someone who just wrote a giant post about feeling alienated as a women within the skeptical movement… I can say that you did not alienate me by recognizing and joking about your own biases.

    Of course, maybe my feminist rage is distracted by the nice photos of this page…

  • I was just reading Jennifurret’s blog post about feminism when I saw this. Interesting dichotomy, to say the least. My two cents: celebrating the human physique is not disrespectful to the human intellect, as long as we make sure the distinction is maintained.

    Oh, and Jen’s own photo shoot looked outstanding in its own right.

  • fiddler

    @Phira
    I’m a relatively straight guy that knows I’m reading a blog, however fun and informative it might be. It wouldn’t offend me in the least if Hemant showed only men and was…-gasp-…gay.

    It shouldn’t be viewed as alienation, it is simply a person showing what is attractive to them. Perhaps you need to recognise the inherent poetry in motion that is the human body, male or female.

  • Phira- While I get where you’re coming from, I think that you’re, firstly, overreacting, and secondly, don’t you think that your assumption that women (and only women) are going to be interested in looking at pictures of sexy male sceptics is a bit alienating to the notsoheterosexual among us? There are queer readers here, you know.
    It’s the little things that make people feel (un)welcome.

    /tongue slightly in cheek, just a little.

    Also, sexysceptics.. niiice. I believe I would quite like 24 sexysceptics delivered to my door, please. Possibly gift-wrapped?

  • GP

    YAY! Equal opportunity objectification!

    Kidding ^_^ But delighted it’s dual gender ~_^

  • Erik

    I like April’s tattoo. Anyone have that image?

  • Steve

    @Erik
    It’s a standard picture of electrons orbiting a nucleus

    Like this:
    http://mylnn.net/images/atom2.jpg

  • sc0tt

    Zounds… I can’t believe the only time I’ll probably EVER be in Springfield is the three days BEFORE Skepticon.

    I’m also fond of April’s tramp stamp, although it’s a little higher than I would expect to see one.

  • “I’m also fond of April’s tramp stamp”

    I think it is just a temporary stick-on like my 8-year-old likes to wear. The bottom loop has come off.

  • @Jeff P,

    Nope, it’s real. She got it when she left Mormonism.

    JT

  • @JT Eberhard,

    She is impressive for both leaving Mormonism as well as having the conviction of getting a real tattoo stating her status. I say good for her.

  • Jeff P,

    She’s a pretty impressive lady, no doubt.

    JT

  • Jagyr

    What, you think the straight women are being alienated? How about us poor bisexual atheist/skeptics – we’ve got to buy BOTH calendars if we want to get all the semi-nude photos that we find intriguing.

    That’s blatant extortion, that is! Highway robbery and bloody discrimination, I say!

    …I’ll take two, thanks. 😉

  • Sean

    @Jagyr

    <3

  • Jagyr,

    We give you guys a discount. 😉 We love you!

    JT

  • Erik

    JT,

    Is that an “A” in the middle of Rachel’s tattoo? I like the short story behind why she got it. Thanks for the context.

    Erik

  • Are you coming Hemant?

  • muggle

    Phira, geeze. I’m a straight women and I checked out both sets.

    I won’t be buying since I live with a seven year old who thinks my bedroom is his for the crashing but well done.

    Frankly, I think both calendars are unique and artistic which kind of figures coming from people who think outside the lines.

    I found them very amusing as well as sexy. I’d be afraid that sounded wrong and insulting but it seems pretty obvious that they were purposely trying to be amusing as well as sexy. All the artful ways they kept it R-rated instead of X. The one that cracked me up the most is the chick (can I say chick, phira?) who has her hands folded in prayer in the half-slip, cleverly covering the parts she’s not allowed to display.

    Oh, yeah and that giant tie is pretty fucking hilarious too. Also loved the cod piece and the guy literally blocking out his bits. OK, so maybe I did dwell on the guys a tad more than the ladies.

  • Erik,

    It is an A. It’s the American Atheists symbol.

    JT

  • Well, I’m glad someone else is doing this kind of thing and not being raked over the coals for being “shallow” or “misogynist”. I had some uptight atheists giving me crap for selling atheist “good girl” art on my site. A simple line drawing…no nudity. Still, some idiots just had to bitch.
    And now there’s someone here who’s offended because there isn’t enough half naked men on this post?
    Is there an island somewhere that I can buy and send all these offended people to?
    I just find them so…offensive.

  • parv

    I must be the only one who was distracted by the strong shadow on Rachel’s lower left back (April model).

    On another note, why do most printed calendar available in USA have Saturday & Sunday at either end, not both together on one end?

  • Valhar2000

    Is there anyone I know in these calendars, or are they professional models?

  • SecularLez

    Ha ha Jagyr

  • Valhar2000

    Phira:

    Can you explain in more detail exactly what it was that bothered you about this post? I gather from what you wrote that you objected to the fact the Hemant posted twice as many pictures of women as he did of men from these calendars, and that the asymmetry in the interest he showed in the female version compared to the interest he showed in the male version of the calendar also bothered you.

    Did you find this off-putting, as if it were to signal that interests other than his will not be approved of or tolerated?

    Is there anything else that you found bothersome, or “alienating”? If not, could you explain your reaction to the two points I have outlined more fully?

    And what exactly do you mean by “alienating”? I can infer a meaning from the context, but I wonder if it might not be the one you intended.

    The Godless Monster:

    I looked at the design, and I can’t figure out what makes it “atheist”. What am I not getting?

  • Valhar,

    There is one professional model, but just because she, like the others, supported the cause. The rest are skeptics from all over.

    JT

  • On another note, why do most printed calendar available in USA have Saturday & Sunday at either end, not both together on one end?

    The answer is “That’s just the way we do it.” It’s getting more common to see some alternate styles though, and it would have been interesting to see this one with Monday first. It would also be interesting to see Bill O’Reilly pitch a wobbly over a Monday-first war on calendars.

  • muggle

    parv, because techinically Sunday is the first day of the week on our calendars. That’s why the Seventh Day Adventists insist on Saturday being the Sabbath. It’s the last. No, I don’t get why the whole rest of Christianity doesn’t agree with them given that the buybull says gawd rested on the seventh day. I really don’t.

    valhar, the Atheist A but I’ve got to say I would never have taken it for that if for its not being an Atheist site.

    I’ve leered at too many half-naked (or more) men in my life to condemn dudes for doing likewise to women. Hell, I’ve even bought gay mags because the ones for women only go so far.

  • One thing I just noticed is that if you click the image to get an enlarged version, you can scroll down to the calendar and read the blurb about each person posing. It tells a bit about them and why they posed. It kind-of humanizes the models… makes them real people with a story and not just images to objectify.

  • @Valhar2000,

    “The Godless Monster:

    I looked at the design, and I can’t figure out what makes it “atheist”. What am I not getting?”

    Really…
    There’s a woman with an atheist tattoo in the small of her back in the calendar for the month of April. One could just as easily ask what makes THAT atheist.
    To directly answer your question, there’s nothing that makes it “atheist” unless you happen to note the fact that the “A’s” used to denote “Ace of hearts” in the corners of the playing card are the Scarlet Atheist A from the coming out campaign and that the “A” tattooed on her arm is the same atheist symbol.
    (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out_Campaign)
    If it was a Muslim crescent moon and star or a Jewish star of David, you would assume that had some significance and label the image as promoting or at the LEAST, DEPICTING those particular beliefs. I’ve read your comments before. You are reasonably up on things, so what’s the real issue?

  • Ally

    I think there should be a calender with both men and women. Because hetero-normativity is silly and I find atheists of both genders to be sexy.

  • Valhar2000

    The Godless Monster:

    Well, that’s subtle…

  • Valhar2000

    It seems that Phira commented on a post in Pharyngula, and in doing so answered most of my questions. I guessed correctly!

    I also find it curious that more than half of the people who disagreed with her assessment were women, and yet she refers to them as “the token”.

    Nobody’s perfect, I suppose.

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