College Crew Team Disrobes to Fight Homophobia and Bullying

Muscled men baring it all to support a good cause? What’s not to like? (Photo by Angus Malcolm for the Warwick Rowers Club)

The guys of the Warwick Rowers Club— the crew team of the University of Warwick in central England — are rocking the boat with a naked calendar that features tasteful nude photographs of their fit bodies to help fight homophobia.

Since 2009, the team has been producing a yearly nude calendar to support its club. But after learning that many of their fans were gay men, this year the team created Sport Allies, a program that reaches out to young people challenged by bullying, homophobia and low self-esteem.

(Photo by Angus Malcolm for the Warwick Rowers Club)

"With our new Sport Allies initiative, we are making a clear commitment to give an absolute minimum of 10 percent of all profits from every single product we sell," the team said on its website. 

Previous calendars have raised more than $300,000 and are now sold in 77 countries. 

And they are giving more than money. “Equally importantly, everyone involved in the project, including our professional associates, is committing to give contracted minimum volunteering time to making Sport Allies happen,” said the team. 

(Photo by Angus Malcolm for the Warwick Rowers Club)

For its 2015 calendar, the team created a video, featuring outtakes from the shoot (think: spraying hoses at each other) with rowers narrating their story. “We’re getting naked to make a point,” said one rower in the video.

"Regardless of your gender or sexuality we are inviting you into that moment with us," said another.

You can purchase the 2015 calendar, or stationery, posters and prints at WarwickRowers.org.  

(Photo by Angus Malcolm for the Warwick Rowers Club)

Though the team has become best known for its naked calendars, they’ve been around since 1966 and have produced Olympic and world-class competitive rowers.

The university’s women’s team also bares all for charity, with 20 percent of its calendar sales benefiting Macmillan Cancer Support.