Sandra Brown, of the Moira Anderson Foundation, which aids victims of domestic and sexual abuse, was stunned by the refusal. "It's a strange overreaction, because these women (in the calendar] are making their own decisions. It's about being assertive, and if these women have the self-esteem, then I would say 'go for it'. Unless something is abusive or deeply offensive, people will see it in the spirit it is intended," she said. But a spokewoman for the charity Zero Tolerance said that her organization would absolutely refuse donations generated by a nude calendar. "We would not take money from a calendar like that. We should be showcasing women for their talents and aspirations. We live in a culture where female nudity is everywhere and there is too much female nudity… It undermines our work to achieve gender equality."
Domestic violence victims = sex workers?
It appears that the organization's spokeswoman is trying to say, "Women should feel great about their bodies, unless they're using them to raise (or earn) money."
I get where Women's Aid is coming from, but ladies, it's 2009. Maybe it's time to stop judging women -- and domestic violence survivors, of all people -- for what they do with their naked bodies.
