Geek Gorgeous or Geek Exploited)

Update: Burningbird has doubts about the calendar's value. The Creative Tech Writer says, the calendar verges on sexual harassment.

Gina at Misbehaving alerts us to the Geek Gorgeous calendar (caution, may  NSFW). 

Hollywood glamour meets the technology of the new millenium in this edgy, eye-catching calendar that features real women who work in the high-tech industry, including programmers, computer technicians, rocket scientists, and more.  The scenes in the calendar - from a girl wrapped in ethernet cable to a lingerie-clad model opening up a video card from Santa - are sure to draw attention from those who pass by.

This would be OK if the calendar exhibited "Hollywood Glamour"--but it doesn't, it's more like Frederick's of Hollywood--you know, the purveyors of crotchless panties.

The creator of the calendar, Lilac Mohr, hopes that the proceeds from the calendar will be sufficient to fund "to start a self-sustaining scholarship fund for girls who want to study Computer Science in college."

I personally find that goal ironic for three reasons.

One is that  the calendar is sufficiently risqué that I would not have it in a middle-school classroom, even an all-girls classroom.  And middle school marks a gateway into science, math and tech careers (see below).  So Ms. Mohr can't recruit middle school girls as purchasers of the calendar.

The second is the calendar is more like the girly pinups you used to find in all-male locales, such as the local garage.  The girls pictured may have  a tool in hand, but look as if they didn't know anything practical to do with it.  So how exactly does this advance women's credibility  in technology, again?

The third is that the calendar is playing off a stereotype of geek girls.:  (" Sick of hearing complaints from  male co-workers about the lack of attractive women in the computer industry") but posits only the Paris Hilton,  prostitute-chic look is attractive.  How is a bipolar stereotype (ugly or a ho)  better than a unipolar stereotype?

The poster below does a better job of challenging stereotypes:

(more on the poster and reactions here)

Middle school is a critical time for intervention, when girls actively begin to explore identities, interests, and talents, and make initial decisions that affect the pathway to participation in IT. In middle school, girls decide about what kinds of classes are consistent with their relationships and identities, and these early decisions affect enrollment in computer classes in high school.

Here are some organizations that are actually encouraging  middle school girls to pursue careers in  in science and technology.

Build IT: SRI and Girls Incorporated
Eyes to the Future
PAVTEC's Middle School Girls Conference
Girls Creating Games
BUGS  Bringing Up Girls In Science
Girls GoTech (The Girl Scouts' program)
Women and Girls in Technology
Girls in Technology
BinaryGirl
WGBY Girls In Technology
California Girls' Collaborative Project

And a link round-up page, Women-Related Sites in Science/Technology and especially O'Leary's Accessibility of Computer Science.

Also, National Science Foundation's Research on Gender in Science and Technology.