Sexy Mormon Calendar Sparks Debate
By SARAH LYNCH
Updated 8:16 AM EST, Fri, May 1, 2009
When you think of Mormons, you think sexy, right?
Well, pinups of hot moms dressed as naughty school teachers and Santa's helpers will grace the pages of a 2010 Mormon calendar coming out in June. A 2009 calender by the same company features hunky, shirtless missionary men.
Sexy, sure, but Mormons Exposed CEO Chad Hardy, publisher of the calendar, is sparking religious debate.
"I thought the calendar would be a way to grab some attention about stereotypes and how people look and react to certain things," Hardy said.
And that it did. Hardy's controversial calendar business got him excommunicated from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He was also refused his degree from Brigham Young University.
"Anytime you step outside the box, you're gonna offend people... I did disrupt the status quo and I think it's changed some minds for some people, and it's opened some minds."
Hardy received a good deal of criticism from the Mormon community with the release of his first calendar for 2008. It was called "Men on a Mission," a 12-month, ab-tastic calendar flaunting half-naked men, all who have gone on church missions.
The 2009 men's calendar with the same title is reminiscent of Abercrombie and Fitch ads and features muscular Mormon men. About 7,500 copies were sold last year.
Hardy's upcoming 2010 calendar featuring sexed-up Mormon moms will be a companion to the continuing line of men's calendars. Both of the new issues will be released in June.
"It's very sexy, but at the same time it's so cute," Hardy said of the 2010 calendar featuring Mormon moms and muffin recipes.
But with Hardy's business came personal changes. After being excommunicated, Hardy adopted a new religion.
"The religion of love," he said. "Treat people the way you want to be treated."
So will Hardy himself make an appearance in next year's calendar?
"I got way too fat," he said. "I'm working on it [for 2011]...I've been doing a very rigorous workout here every morning."
First Published: Apr 28, 2009 5:07 PM EST
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