Credit: Byron Fry

5Qs: Cause & Effect

Calendar catalyst Trish Caddy bares all for cancer

As far as fundraisers go, stripping down for a calendar is nothing new; firefighters do it every year and it’s been a hit with everyday women at least since the time that group from a British women’s institute stripped to their flowers back in the late ’90s, inspiring a movie in the process. But if nothing else, it shows the enduring appeal of calendars-for-a-cause—at least, that’s what UVic biology major Trish Caddy is banking on. As the organizer of Babes Go Bare for Cancer, Caddy is one of a dozen “normal” local women shining up their birthday suits for step one of the fundraiser, which hopes to raise $25,000 for the BC Cancer Agency. Step two? Shaving their heads once the calendar is out and donating their hair to the Locks of Love hairpiece organization. (“Hair is not a measure of self worth, so why not discard it?” says Caddy. “At the same time, if it helps a little girl or boy handle the trauma of cancer treatment, then why not donate it to an organization that will help them too?”) Right now, the push is on to raise enough money to get the calendar printed in time for 2010 (they’ve got $500 of a needed $5,000), so it seemed a good moment to catch up with Caddy.

Monday Magazine: Did you ever imagine you’d be the good-cause equivalent of a pin-up girl?

Trish Caddy: Pin-up girl has certain sexual connotations that I’m not sure I want to infuse the calendars with, but the short answer is no . . . although obviously I was open to the idea. I like the idea that all ladies can be appreciated regardless of whether they fit into society’s ideas of what makes someone a “Babe.”

MM: What do you mean by “normal women”?

TC: We mean women who you may or may not usually think of as calendar girls. I think of “calendar girl” and I think of buxom blondes with tiny waists; not that there’s anything wrong with them, but the idea is that they are just one colour in the whole spectrum of what beautiful can be. By normal, we mean an unairbrushed assortment of different ladies, with different weights, skin colours, backgrounds, etcetera . . . some of them have personal stories relating to cancer, some don’t; some have always known they were beautiful people, some haven’t. I tried to choose women who were open-minded, honest and really felt strongly about sending the message that it’s us—consumers—who decide what is beautiful and what is not. And at the end of the day, it’s about being beautiful, not looking beautiful.

MM: Isn’t the idea of a nude calendar a bit tired?

TC: I think the old “bait-and-switch” technique is always effective, especially when the bait is sex. I’m not going to sit here and pretend that people aren’t interested in the word “nude” first when they hear about the calendar; of course they are. But I think the nude calendar idea is important here because of the switch: people assume it’s going to be pin-up style—I’m not sure they expect to see their classmates, their neighbours, their aunties. It is not about sex; there are ways to value and accept your body as it is that have nothing to do with sex.

MM: Any negative feedback?

TC: This is not a neutral project idea; it’s not a “safe” subject. . . this project stems from a deep respect for the women I’ve had the pleasure of knowing, both throughout my daily life and through my experiences working with Victoria Women’s Sexual Assault Centre as a volunteer support worker. Any negative opinions expressed have been by far outweighed by an overwhelming amount of positive regard from the greater community and the BC Cancer Agency.

MM: Where does this fit in the beauty-myth spectrum?

TC: The main message of the calendars is that beauty is a lifestyle choice, as opposed to a certain look. It isn’t about having the good fortune of being born in an era where your particular genes give you the upper hand; it’s about deciding that the word “babe” has room to include everyone. If we can prove to women everywhere that we [the calendar girls] are sure enough of ourselves that we’ll show you our skin, that we won’t think of our bodies as works in progress and that we refuse to rank ourselves based on something as silly as the width of a thigh or the curve of a belly, then I believe we will have achieved something significant. And if we can raise $25,000 for BC Cancer Agency while doing so, how beautiful is that? M

Babes Go Bare for Cancer is currently raising money to cover the printing, but they’re also selling advertising space in the calendars themselves. For more information or to find out how to donate, e-mail babesgobare@gmail.com or visit their Facebook page.