June 24, 2008

Another sexy Indian calendar

Baker Twins break stereotypes with native American women’s calendarCocreators Shannon and Shauna Baker, better known as the The Baker Twins, put it together as a way of celebrating the beauty and talent (hence BT Girls) of First Nations women across Canada and Washington State.

The calendar is a personal reflection of the twins’ own history and background as aboriginal women who have built successful modelling and acting careers. According to a media release, the girls were quoted as wanting to put an end to the westernized view of First Nations people.

“Many people do not know that many First Nations people are successful doctors, lawyers, teachers, actors, welders, nurses, singers, models, etc.” Shannon said. “In the media, there is almost no portrayal of First Nations people living in the present day. The world needs to stop stereotyping First Nations people and start showing this through the media, and that is what we are doing with this calendar.”
Comment: I'm going to go out on a limb and guess the calendar features more Native actors, singers, and models than it does doctors, lawyers, teachers, welders, and nurses.

I'm glad the Baker twins are busting the 500-year-old stereotype of Native women as objects of beauty, romance, and lust. But I'm a little unclear on how a calendar portraying Native women as objects of beauty, romance, and lust will counteract this stereotype.

For a debate over a similar product, see The Rez Dog Calendar: Role Models or Sex Objects?

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