Autostraddle Calendar Girls 2012: Ashley and Kelli are January & February’s Girls

It’s 2011! That means it’s time to think about what’s happening in 2012, provided we evade the apocalypse. You can still keep track of it in style last year’s calendar, but obviously we’re already hard at work on 2012.

Yup, it’s time for Round Two of Autostraddle Calendar Girls: talented, smart, charismatic, geeky and really-really-good-looking lesbianisty ladies. We make this calendar for you because you all really need to cut it out with your crushes on straight girls, this shit is out of hand, the last thing you need is 12 months of whatever Maxim & FHM come up with. REAL LIVE LESBIANS!

Autostraddle 2012 Calendar January February

From top left to bottom right:
Hair stylist Kim Byerrum with Videographer & Jan/Feb Model: Kelli Griggs; a kitteh; Design Director Alex Vega and Production Manager Sarah Croce (Miss April 2011); Photographer Robin Roemer and a feather; Jan/Feb model Ashley LaRocque

This year we’re going to give you a video every month and just a few teases of what the actual photos will look like, so the Calendar will be chock-full of surprises!!! We combined January & February because we’re behind schedule, but will be posting a new girl monthly for the rest of the year.

January & February’s Girls Are:

Kelli Griggs, 23: Video editor at a documentary film & television production company, lives in Los Angeles, grew up in North Carolina

Ashley La Rocque, 23: Works for Sony Post-Production, originally from Connecticut

Autostraddle Calendar Girls January February 2012

Here’s Robin & Sara to explain a bit more about this year’s theme:

The 2012 Autostraddle Calendar is our interpretation of the idea of a “lesbian image” without the traditional presentational definers of gender and sexual identity – when we (literally) strip away clothing, what do our naked selves communicate about who we are?

The 2011 calendar was about solo portraits of women who are brilliant, beautiful and courageous on and off camera; 2012 is about the amazing and vibrant community of queer women.

We sought to do something different this year by creating dramatic scenes and having the models interact with each other. We loved the idea of playing with identity in the form of masks, and the power that comes from choosing what to reveal and what to keep hidden.

Be prepared to see lots of skin this year in the 2012 calendar – but remember that it’s what we choose not to show that sometimes gives the most away.

We photographed a group of beautiful and diverse queer women both poolside and on various studio sets in Los Angeles. We’re excited for the monthly Behind the Scenes videos, where Autostraddlers can meet our sexy and inspiring calendar girls. (This being possible thanks to Videographer/Video Editor Kelli Griggs and Music Supervisor Stacee Coleman).

We hope you enjoy meeting the girls as much as we did!

Thanks to all of the amazing stylists, the production team members, and of course our brave and beautiful models.

We hope you love the results and look forward to purchasing your own 2012 calendar later this year in support of the project and of Autostraddle.com.

xoxo
Your devoted producers,
Robin & Sara
(Photographer & Stylist)

Our “behind-the scenes” video will give you a behind-the-scenes look at the calendar girls for that month. This one also has a bit at the start about the project AS A WHOLE.

So without further ado, here is the Autostraddle 2012 Calendar Girl video for the month of January/February — you should watch it in High-Def (720) b/c that’s how we look the fanciest:

Autostraddle 2012 Calendar January February Robin Roemer
Autostraddle 2012 Calendar January February

Ashley, Jessica (March 2012), and Kelli re-enacting their photo shoot at the wrap party

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Credits for Autostraddle.com 2012 Calendar Videos
Producer, Photographer: Robin Roemer
Producer, Wardrobe/Prop Stylist: Sara Medd
Production Manager: Sarah Croce for Geek Goddess Productions
Videography, Video Editor: Kelli Griggs
Music Supervisor: Stacee Coleman
Hair Stylists: Kim Byerrum, Danielle DePalo
Make-up Artists: Brandi J. Andrews, Inara Lopetaite
Catering: Sarah Croce
Special thanks to Ernie Rodriguez and Kevin Break

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Special Note: As of December 2011, there will be no talking shit about anything in the comments on calendar girls posts. Direct concerns about the project or website as a whole can be directed to robin at autostraddle dot com or riese at autostraddle dot com.

Why? Well, We’re committed to making Autostraddle a safe place for progressive debate, but since you’re not allowed to say negative things about a woman’s body anywhere on this website, there’s really no on-topic argument to be had here. These girls are half-naked and gay, and they’re saying so on the internet in a public place, which is pretty fucking sweet — they’ve dealt with the same feelings of discrimination and difference that you have, been told that what their body wants is wrong. But everybody’s body is right. You are all beautiful, just some of you haven’t realized that yet.

If you don’t have anything nice to say, your comment will be deleted! SORRY!

xoxo the editors

Before you go! Autostraddle runs on the reader support of our AF+ Members. If this article meant something to you today — if it informed you or made you smile or feel seen, will you consider joining AF and supporting the people who make this queer media site possible?

Join AF+!

Robin

Robin specializes in entertainment, lifestyle and portrait photography. She's also a Creative Producer, Director of Photography and co-owner of Scheme Machine Studios LLC, her production company based in Los Angeles. Robin loves shooting for TV and film and has worked with media companies like Legendary Pictures and Viacom. She shot and directed the Pride campaign for Google called #ThisIsFamily. Robin has had the pleasure of working on national campaigns for companies like Dove and Levis, and had the unique opportunity to shoot for non-profits and initiatives such as The Black List, Save the Children, Move to End Violence, Have a Hart Day, and The Clinton Global Initiative. She is most proud of the work she has done with organizations such as The Ad Council and RAINN working on national impact campaigns. Her celebrity roster includes Cyndi Lauper, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, The B-52s, Keri Hilson, JB Smoove, Tegan and Sara, Margaret Cho, The B-52’s, Andreja Pejic, and many more. She was there for Autostraddle’s birth and proudly served as A-Camp co-director for many years.

Robin has written 82 articles for us.

77 Comments

  1. I love the autostraddle calendar girls, but it saddens me to not see much body size diversity thus far. Women are beautiful in all sizes! Can yall get some hot curvy/fat girls in the calendar this year? (Hopefully this doesn’t rub yall the wrong way, it’s definitely not a criticism of any of the sexy pinups that have been featured!)

  2. You guys, I can’t breath. Maybe it’s my asthma, but I’m pretty sure that it’s because of all these insanely hot girls.

    • Autostraddle is ALWAYS greater than homework. I sometimes skip checking Autostraddle for a few days just to put off being productive for longer than necessary. :)

  3. Hot girls > the superbowl by a long shot! Now I don’t feel so bitter about the Packers/Steelers playing in our stadium. *shudders*

  4. Every last woman in that video is both gorgeous and super charismatic, love it :)

    Ashley La Rocque… I don’t even have words to describe the hotness! My heart does flip flops every time I look at her.

  5. Shit, this looks like so much fun. I’m super pumped that there will be video every month! Everyone looks gorgeous, like every single woman in the video is a hottie. Great job, ladies!

    Also, Kelli, I think I’m what you’re looking for. ;D lol

  6. OMG! I am sooo PROUD of you guys! That video was amazing! I wish I lived over in the US, because I would be all over you guys (haha, in a work way of course) ;)

  7. Hello eye candy! Hotness.all.around!
    Personally I think this video was a better plug for visiting California than any of those commercials that Arnold/KimKardashian/Team Jonas ever starred in.

  8. fantastical! alex and kelli, you are too cool. this is beyond. kill it, i say! best lesbian calender ever. period. love.

  9. awesome! great idea, too. :)

    I was sort of waiting for Alex to take a nap on one of the couches though.

    and can I just say that sara medd is hella cute?

  10. yay! I can’t wait to see the different themes of the lesbian image. Awesome idea. Great job, Ladies of Autostraddle!

  11. I have a lot of feelings about this. It was great. It made me forget about the past couple of days where a lot of shit has happened! Thanks..

    Honestly, I think I’m gonna watch this vid a couple of times extra. Just because of Sara Medd. Totally hot, just sayin..

    Also, if the world is gonna end in 2012, at leat we have a great calender ;)

  12. Robin is so hot. I wish she was naked in the calendar.

    Great shoot, great video, great editing. Great job!!

  13. I think having the video element really “queers” the project. Seeing people move, hearing their voices and the way they interact with camera other people adds a whole new element of queering the space- which is interesting because recently on here I do believe there was an article that used that same expression!

    props!

  14. This gives me so many feelings. Feelings of being unable to wait a year for all of this to unfold. Feelings of that video and shoot being legit as fuck. Feelings of suddenly being hyper-aware of my vagina. Feelings of disappointment over letting my Cinnamon Toast Crunch get soggy because I couldn’t watch the video and eat at the same time due to jaw droppings. Feelings of love for all of the wonderful, talented, shexy, funny, beautiful, etc. ladies behind and in front of the camera. The most feelings.

  15. WOW ALEX VEGA IS HOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT.

    And so are all the half naked models and that. they’re hot too.

  16. this is one massive swoonfest. thank you alex, robin, kelli, etc. for making homework 458% more bearable.

  17. Awesome! I am also super proud! It is a really big deal to have such amazing, talented people involved! AS is totally taking over the world. :)
    BTW, my backyard is totally available for next year’s shoot! Of course, your theme should probably be a little less glamorous, and a little more…suburban Jersey.

  18. Oh this is so going to be hanging on my office wall in ’12.

    Robin, is that your natural hair color? If not I would love to know what you use!

  19. aww you guys are so cute! good idea with the videos. im all for a year of real-life moving queers taking off their clothes and laughing/describing their types
    And, down with resorting to straight man’s porn!!!!!

  20. I’m a fan of this video, of alex vega, and ms. roemer’s portfolio.

    Great, great stuff–and hot too!

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