Woman Says Posing Problematic

When Amanda S. Proctor '97 posed for Playboy's special "Women of the Ivy League" issue last week, she said she felt "empowered and proud" to know she might be featured in a national magazine.

But the Winthrop House economics concentrator is beginning to rethink her decision.

In an interview yesterday, Proctor said that she is now being ostracized by her friends and peers. She also said that, since the news that she posed became public, she has been pressured to step down as chair of Native Americans at Harvard and Radcliffe (NAHR).

"I have lost friends. I lost my boyfriend. I lost the [chair of the] Indian Club," Proctor said. "I can't believe that people who have been my friends for so long would not want to speak to me for the rest of my life."

Jason E. Schmitt '97-'98 yesterday denied that members of NAHR have pressured Proctor to step down from her post.

Proctor was selected by Playboy last week to sit for a photo session for the issue, which is due to hit the stands in October.

Proctor says what she did was "risque" and she is surprised by the negative reaction she has received.

"Playboy is an upscale magazine. There is nothing illegal about it," she said. "There were obviously a lot of girls out there who were ready and willing to do this."

The ultimate question, according to Proctor, is the issue of her right to pose. "What I do in my private life should not have any affect on what I do in my academic life," she said.

"People feel that it was her personal decision. Pretty much everyone feels that she can do what she wants," said Co-Chair of NAHR Willow S. Lawson '97. "I am unhappy that she resigned. I wish that she would talk to us. I am trying to get in touch with her.

Other members of NAHR have been angered by Proctor's behavior. "I am very upset with Amanda in general formaking this public," NAHR member Venus S. McGhee'95 said in an interview yesterday. "She hasmisinterpreted a lot of our concerns for her,concerns over her personal well-being, and madethis into a big problem for the group."

McGhee said Proctor has not shown sufficientconcern for the welfare of the organization.

"Part of being Native American for many of usis being part of a community," she said. "Sheclaims that it is a personal matter and that itonly affects her, but really affects all of us."

Other students on campus have said that theyfeel that the Ivy League issue would contribute tothe exploitation and objectification of women.

"I think that the message that it sends out isto say that they might be smart, but they arewomen, and are sexy, and can be objectified," saidManaging Editor of the Perspective Julie C. Suk'97.

Proctor said she felt that this sort ofrepresentation of the issue is only "ahalf-informed statement."

"The whole point is to show there are a lot ofbeautiful women in the Ivy League with manyinterests," she said.

Proctor said she posed in an open sweater and abra, with a blanket draped over her legs against abackdrop of a college dormroom laden withtextbooks.

Playboy has already visited theUniversity of Pennsylvania, Columbia, Princetonand Yale, and will soon visit Brown, Cornell andDartmouth.

Playboy's search for models at Yale wasthe subject of controversy on that campus.

Two Yale students, Sarah, C. Haan '95 and SusanC. Wetstone '97, raised more than $1,000 fromfellow students and alumni, and then offered tomatch Playboy's bid to the studentsselected. One student accepted their offer.Another used the offer to persuade Playboyto raise her fee from $500 to $600.

Playboy offered students at Yale $500 topose fully made and $250 to appear topless.

Playboy photographer David Chan saidyesterday that he chose approximately 10 finalistsfrom approximately 50 Harvard students whoauditioned last week.

Playboy's editorial office in Chicagowill decide which women will be featured in theOctober issue, Chan said

McGhee said Proctor has not shown sufficientconcern for the welfare of the organization.

"Part of being Native American for many of usis being part of a community," she said. "Sheclaims that it is a personal matter and that itonly affects her, but really affects all of us."

Other students on campus have said that theyfeel that the Ivy League issue would contribute tothe exploitation and objectification of women.

"I think that the message that it sends out isto say that they might be smart, but they arewomen, and are sexy, and can be objectified," saidManaging Editor of the Perspective Julie C. Suk'97.

Proctor said she felt that this sort ofrepresentation of the issue is only "ahalf-informed statement."

"The whole point is to show there are a lot ofbeautiful women in the Ivy League with manyinterests," she said.

Proctor said she posed in an open sweater and abra, with a blanket draped over her legs against abackdrop of a college dormroom laden withtextbooks.

Playboy has already visited theUniversity of Pennsylvania, Columbia, Princetonand Yale, and will soon visit Brown, Cornell andDartmouth.

Playboy's search for models at Yale wasthe subject of controversy on that campus.

Two Yale students, Sarah, C. Haan '95 and SusanC. Wetstone '97, raised more than $1,000 fromfellow students and alumni, and then offered tomatch Playboy's bid to the studentsselected. One student accepted their offer.Another used the offer to persuade Playboyto raise her fee from $500 to $600.

Playboy offered students at Yale $500 topose fully made and $250 to appear topless.

Playboy photographer David Chan saidyesterday that he chose approximately 10 finalistsfrom approximately 50 Harvard students whoauditioned last week.

Playboy's editorial office in Chicagowill decide which women will be featured in theOctober issue, Chan said