Rugby players at Kings College London have gotten naked for a great cause — to support an organization that helps victims of LGBT domestic violence, an issue that gets little attention.
The players and the student newspaper Roar News have teamed up on a calendar, with proceeds going to help Broken Rainbow UK. At least one in four lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people experience domestic violence, the newspaper reported, and Broken Rainbow is facing funding cuts. In some good news, the government has agreed to fund its hotline for another year.
The calendar sees the Men's 1st team posing totally naked with only cleverly placed objects hiding their dignity, Roar reports. All the photographs were shot at various locations at the university's flagship campus on the Strand. … Photos include ones taken outside the university on the Strand, in the College's oldest anatomy lecture theatre, and in the Maughan Library on Chancery Lane. …
Head of the Men's first team, Barney Lynock, said: "It is the greatest passion of so many people across the world, and yet issues of exclusivity continue to cast a heavy shadow over sport, be they related to gender, race or sexual orientation. It is a problem that cuts across all levels of sport, from the professional to the amateur, from the lifelong fan to the curious explorer."
The calendar is a great idea and is only $12 plus shipping but it's a bit of a pain to purchase. You first have to create an account, then look for an email validating the account, then log back in and find the calendar sale page. That's likely a lot of steps for the casual, one-time visitor to go through. My guess is that most students already have an account, and this is where most sales will come from. I hope it does well and raises a lot of money for Broken Rainbow.
Dulcie Lee, the editor of Roar News, was nice enough to send us some photos.