Playboy photographers are looking for some MSU ladies who want exposure.
The top men's magazine in the country - with a circulation of 3.15 million - is recruiting female students at least 18 years of age for its October "Women of the Big Ten" pictorial.
"We're looking for all types of women," said Karen Ring, spokeswoman for Playboy Enterprises Inc. "They have to be photogenic, studious and well-rounded.
"There's no set rules. It doesn't have to be a blonde," she said. "We're looking for all shapes and sizes."
Playboy conducts a college search each year, rotating between major conferences. They last visited the Big Ten in 1997. Ring said between 150 and 250 students audition from each university each year.
Between one and nine female students from MSU will be featured in the 10- to 12-page section. Each student photographed gets paid at the photographer's discretion - even if their pictures don't make it into the magazine.
But some students say Playboy coming to MSU is a bad idea.
"We, of course, think the same thing when Girls Gone Wild came," said Women's Council co-director Laura Sorensen. "We think it's unfortunate they think they can exploit women."
Girls Gone Wild, a series of videos showing women taking off their clothes in public, came to East Lansing in February. Members of Women's Council demonstrated outside of The Dollar Nightclub, where Girls Gone Wild was filmed.
"In light of the protest, they should realize students here are kind of disgusted by this," Sorensen said. "Unfortunately, that's the only option for some girls."
Sorensen said people are raised around magazines such as Playboy and don't realize they're derogatory toward women.
"Women don't even know they're being objectified and exploited," she said. "It's so prevalent, it's such a part of our culture."
But Ring said Playboy does not demean women.
"Feminism is the right for women to make the right choices in their lives," she said. "(The women who decide to pose) think it's a fine magazine, and if they decide they want that opportunity to do that, well why not?
"Most of them don't want to be models," Ring said. "They're serious students."
Mentioning an 18-year-old niece that attends MSU, Ring said she wasn't sure how she'd feel if she auditioned for the slot.
"I don't think that's her direction - she's not the type of girl who would pose," she said. "When she's 22 or something, fine.
"At 18, that's a tough decision to make," Ring said, adding "there are a lot of girls who at her age are really world wise."
Advertising senior David Price said the women who pose for the magazine are not forced to do it, so it is entirely up to the individual.
"I'm all for it. If a girl wants to do that, it's her choice," he said. "If they want to do that, more power to them."
The Playboy Photo Team will contact candidates about the location of where the April 7 and 8 interviews will be held. To arrange an interview, call (312)401-7343.
