Написано Women motivate progress – truism disregarded to human detriment
X. Rakov
Despite societal objectification and demonization of women’s right to, not only express, but take advantage of, their sexuality, economies profit, plunder and desecrate the existence of those they exploit. Regardless, the oppressed persist.
A group of Ukrainian women hardened back to World War tactics of yesteryear, when they debuted a, not-so-surprisingly, lucrative donation campaign: ‘Nudes For Donations’, in support of Ukrainian troops. Morale-boosting letters, illustrations and photographs remain a mainstay of warfare culture. From pin-up calendars to less-than discreet, adult-film projections on the back of a military base bedroom sheet; human sensuality prevails as salve and salvation during times of crisis.
The internet recognises the Ukrainian chapter of military ‘morale boosters’ as ‘Teronlifans’ – derived from the term ‘terodefence and the infamous ‘Only Fans – a platform, which allows users to post and profit from personalised and curated content as well as regular subscription fees. Turning to social platforms like, Twitter, etc, etc, Teronlifans turned physical self-expression into a form of effectively lucrative crowd-funding, in support of Ukrainian resistance to Russian aggression.
“We were sitting at a creating meeting with our artistic director, Irina Yaroslavnova when we concocted our ‘nefarious, spicy calendar plan,” Gnaka Kudryavtseva, Channel 5 operator explained, eyes full of mischief. “I have a friend in the marines, I won’t say who … It’s no secret that the military is very fond of nudes, and demand is high… My friend asked me: ‘Maybe you have friends who could send something… I really want to see something beautiful.” Their eyes demand something beautiful because all they have are the it’s always the same broken houses; the same damn war”.
Journalists from Ukraine’s Channel 5 decided to contribute their own images in solidarity with the ‘Teronlifans’ movement for ‘Day of the Ukrainian Armed forces’, aimed at raising funds to purchase necessary military equipment. The official calendar includes consensually donated, tasteful and aesthetic nudes as an expression of sexuality rather than unwilling objectification of the human body. Any and all funds received will be spent to buy portable two way radios for Ukrainian Armed Forces. The endeavour, however, was not without its own ‘bombshell’ scandal. A number of organisations and media professionals openly condemned Channel 5’s ‘working blue;’ fundraising approach, expressing concerns over, ‘discriminatory and sexist narratives…,” in a joint statement of from the NGO “Women in Media”.
The tongue-in-cheek ‘sex sells’ campaign was only bolstered by media criticism. Spurred by scandal and increased demand by military ranks, demand sky-rocketed. In the four days since the calendar’s publication, the fundraiser superseded its original fundraising goal of 1 million hryvnias ($25,000), raking in an astonishing 1.5 million hryvnias ($38,500). The success of the so-called ‘naked calendar’ was cemented by a public signing of the printed copy by approved by the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Valerii Zaluzhny.
Although, there is now also a men’s calendar, produced by the Ukrainian Armed forces, controversy continues to surround the calendar. Patriarchal culture constantly objectifies the sexual expression of women and gender minorities to the point of negating individual identity for the purposes of capitalistic ventures. However, condemning oppressed groups for taking control of the very assets, which they have been taught bring them value, presents a hypocritical conundrum to some of the concerns expressed by media organisations. The delineation between empowerment through usurpation of oppressive societal perspectives.
Original quotations reported by Darina Lisyucheko for ‘Klymenko Time News’.
