A far from Catholic calendar

A Madrilenian LGBT group has just published what it describes as a "non-religious" calendar. Quite. The images enclosed have caused something of a controversy in Spain, where 79% of the population consider themselves Catholic.

The church and its whimpering disciples have labelled the pictures "christophobic" and a direct attack on the institution. Mission accomplished for Cogam, the group behind the calendar, who knowingly brought attention to themselves by calling the calendar non-religious - a dirty word for some in Spain. It's not surprising that an image of the Virgin Mary posed by a transsexual didn't go down too well either.

Right-wing online forum "Forum Libertas" asked "Would this happen to Buddha or Mohammed? With this supposedly non-religious calendar, Cogam is aiming straight for the Catholic Church, its only goal to ridicule the most practised religion in Spain." Another conservative blog, Religión en Libertad, went even further by demanding an immediate cut to state funding for the homosexual community in Madrid.

“An antidote to mental lethargy”

Juan Antinoo is one of the photographers who worked on the calendar.  

This calendar is trying to break some boundaries. Of course it might be found shocking, but it will certainly not be ignored. That's our aim - to get people thinking. Innovative art is there to break the monotony of political correctness. This calendar serves as an antidote to mental lethargy."