The Canary Report’s 2010 Calendar is released! Fifteen women tell The Naked Truth about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.
I’m thrilled to announce the release of The Canary Report’s 2010 wall calendar! Since there are 15 women participating in the project, I designed two versions: one with 12 different women, and one centered around the theme “Seeking Our Nature,” which features 10 women, all in nature settings.
This project was an extraordinary process for everyone involved. The concept of expressing life with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity through photos in the nude was inspired by a valuable member of our Canary Report community, Eva Caballe, who bared all for an online magazine in her country of Spain. Eva’s photos in that art mag were accompanied by an essay describing her life with MCS, and garnished so much interest that it’s been translated into nearly a dozen languages around the world.
But the power of such a bold statement in attracting worldwide attention was not really my motivation in wanting to do a calendar based on the same type of theme. I saw it as an opportunity to create a work of art, a way for women to express their story about living with MCS in a bold and brave way that would give voice to their struggles with and triumphs over this challenging illness in a way that all the words in the world could never do. For me, as the editor, and ultimately a participant, it was about giving these incredible women an opportunity to honor and love their bodies’ wisdom not in spite of MCS but because of it.
There have been critics of this concept along the way. A couple of people told me they weren’t sure it was a good way to promote our cause. One person said he thought it would add to the false assumptions that MCS is a psychological illness because we would all look crazy. I could not disagree more. The photos that were submitted for this project knocked my socks off. The only guidance given was for each woman to tell her story through a photo or two, expressing joy or sorrow, challenges or triumph about living with MCS. I asked that each woman think about the setting and to look at it as a work of art. And when the photos started arriving in my email box, I was stunned at the beauty and jaw-dropping naked truth that came through in every shot. Brava, Canaries, Brava!
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who participated:
The cover girls Judith (Spain) and Karen (Australia).
Jasmine (United States)
Silvia (Spain, Germany)
Candy (Australia)
Leslie (United States)
Linda (Canada)
Beck (Australia)
Mokihana (United States)
Missy (United States)
Anabel (Spain)
Marta (Spain)
Katrina (United States)
And our inspiration, Eva (Spain)
The wall calendars are available for purchase (Version 1 and Version 2). All profits will be donated to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit on the leading edge of fighting for toxic chemical policy reform. I’m sorry to say that I cannot guarantee that the calendars are safe for people with MCS, but over the next week or so, the photos will be published in other media forms such as videos, so everyone will be able to access and enjoy the spirit of the calendars. And of course everyone can go view the calendars at the links above. In the U.S. you are guaranteed delivery by Christmas if you order by Dec. 20. And right now there is a great discount, $9 off all calendars, look for the discount code at the top of the shop’s page. Feel free to contact me with any questions.
Thanks again to everyone for all your support!
Aloha,
Susie xoxo
Link to Version 1 of the calendar The Naked Truth About Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.
Link to Version 2 of the calendar The Naked Truth About Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: Seeking Our Nature.
If you enjoyed this post, please read these related stories:
