Volume 96, Issue 22
Friday, October 4, 2002
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EDITORIAL
Pin-ups produce big bucks
They're back – the build up to the 2002/2003 W-boys and W-girls calendar has begun.
Brad Bloch and Adam Luck, two second-year honours and business administration students at Western, are the organizers behind this year's version of the calendar which was an undeniable success last year.
The Western community finds itself in a position of déjˆ vu, deciding how it feels about the Western name being pinned up beside shirtless men and scantily clad women. It's at this point in the decision making process that we have the advantage of looking back on what the calendars brought us last year.
The calendars were able to raise over $40,000 for charity. As most students hover on the edge of bankruptcy, the $10 students paid for the calendars ended up, for many, as their only financial contribution to a charitable organization that year. The models themselves sold the calendars in the University Community Centre atrium, proud of their pictures and the contribution they were making.
Seeing students getting together to work on a project that allows the Western community to make a significant contribution to charity is uplifting, no matter what the endeavor involves.
The limited protests against the calendar last year by the Women's Issues Network, among others, proved in the long run to be ill founded. Few people, including the models, will say the photos were of poor taste or quality. The calendars will run again this year with a good portion of the university behind the project – and that is not something you can say often about goings on around this campus.
In short, these Western students are doing a good deed, which makes us question why charities wouldn't be more than happy to accept the proceeds. The Canadian Cancer Society declined this week to accept the money, stating the calendar is contrary to the type of image they want for their organization.
While one can certainly respect their decision, you have to wonder if somebody suffering from cancer is really that particular about where the money that could potentially cure their disease is generated from.
In a day in age where you can see a lot of skin in magazines, like the ones sold in the UCC's Pitstop, the pictures that will be in the W-boys and W-girls calendar should seem very tame.
In essence, what an issue like this really comes down to is that nobody is forcing anybody to do anything. You don't want to buy a calendar – terrific. You don't want to be snapped in your skivvies – don't apply to be a model.
Fortunately, the Red Cross was sensible enough to accept whatever proceeds can be generated from this year's calendar. If the popularity of last year's calendar is any indication, there'll be even more money this time around.
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