Autostraddle Calendar Girls 2014: Lynn is Miss November

Sometimes, SOMETIMES you can’t cover your face with smokin’ hot lesbians. When this happens why not cover your walls with them instead!? That’s where the 2014 Autostraddle calendar comes in!


Lynn is Miss November

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Where are you from?

I was raised in Shanghai, China, but I spent the last four years in the Bay Area and only just moved to New York.

Occupation/major/passion:

Money and pussy! No but seriously…

I have been very fortunate in my life to find something that I love so much it moves me to tears. Having just completed my BFA in Jewelry and Metal Arts, I can honestly say that the amount of work that went into it would move anyone to tears (and cause many painful injuries), but I loved every second of it. There is something so timelessly wonderful about metal, the way it outlasts everything else through history. There are few other materials that can withstand the tests of time; books can deteriorate, memories forgotten, but anything from a metal statue to the remains of a shipwreck, to even the smallest family heirloom jewelry can prevail while everything else degrades. I find it comforting to know that the work I make will endure however fragile my existence may sometimes feel.

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Why did you want to be a part of this project?

Autostraddle is awesome, what queer wouldn’t want to be a part of it?

Years ago, I found Autostraddle while Googling the realities of my curiosities. Since then, the articles have guided me through my coming out, then in, then out again as I phased in and out of fear, denial and anger. For the most of my life, (keep in mind that I’m only 22) I was covered head-to-toe in issues as I struggled with my identity and self-loathing. Finding Autostraddle was like a breath of fresh air, you made me feel okay and allowed me to take a step back from vicious cycles of self-destruction. I never tried OkCupid until Autostraddle posted an article about Oh Gay Cupid. As for sex toys? I NEEDED advice on that! And all the beautifully written prose of other queers’ experiences, the laughs and tears of their coming-outs. All of that made me feel sane in my own skin, made me realize I was still human after all — which was all that I really needed. So this is what I mean when I say Autostraddle is crazy, sexy beautiful, and everything I ever wanted in a website… so again, what queer wouldn’t want to be a part of it?

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Artist’s Statement from Robin Roemer:

I want to start off by saying I wish I had a few weeks to photograph each of our 130 applicants, because they were all beautiful and inspiring! We are honored so many of you wanted to participate and we hope, at some point, we can work with each one of you. I mean that most sincerely.

This year we went through our applicants based on the survey first, the photos sent in to me had little to do with who our final picks were. We chose based on answers to a variety of questions. We wanted people who really had a sense of what the project was all about, were readers of Autostraddle, and were involved in their communities at home. We wanted women bursting with energy and love. Second, we wanted to represent our incredibly diverse our community: beauties of all different shapes and styles and backgrounds and gender expressions. Finally we found ourselves with 13 models — its 2013 now so twelve just wouldn’t do — who we feel represent some of the most brilliant our readership has to offer. I hope each of you, especially those of you who applied and were not chosen this year, enjoy this year’s calendar.

Crew:
Co-created by Robin Roemer and Sara Medd
Photographed by Robin Roemer
Wardrobe styling by Sara Medd
Hair by Taylor Stevenson
Make-up by Marla Verdugo

Line Production, Location Scouting and Catering: Sarah Croce
Design, Location Scouting, Production assistant: Alex Vega
Lighting Assistant: Kamila Baker
Production Assistant: Christina Bly
Puppy Wrangler: Mollie Thomas

Special Note: As of December 2010, we request that the comments on Calendar Girls posts, unlike every other post on this site, be exclusively positive and remain on-topic. These posts exist to celebrate women, so any  criticisms of the model, her appearance or the appearance of the Calendar Girls as a whole will be deleted. Furthermore, any direct questions/concerns about the project in general can be directed to robin at autostraddle dot com!

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?

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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.

42 Comments

  1. I don’t always crush on people on the internet, but when I do they’re gorgeous, tattooed, poetic, metal workers.

    In other words: hey, girl, hey.

  2. such beautiful photos and such beautiful words! gorgeous. thank you for sharing.

    also, can anyone else not believe that it’s already NOVEMBER?! wow 2013, you sure have been sexy.

  3. Her skin is beautiful flawless, wow.

    On a side note I’d be interested to know what post processing if any was done.

  4. I really found your sentiment surrounding metal’s legacy to be beautiful. It’s awesome to that passion come through!

  5. I find it comforting to know that the work I make will endure however fragile my existence may sometimes feel.

    so beautiful. inside and out.

  6. Well I couldn’t be more excited to welcome in November with such an amazing Calendar Girl. She’s made the jump from the bay to NYC as well! Love it.

    “There are few other materials that can withstand the tests of time; books can deteriorate, memories forgotten, but anything from a metal statue to the remains of a shipwreck, to even the smallest family heirloom jewelry can prevail while everything else degrades.”

    I find jewelry so sentimental and timeless, my favorite pieces are rings and necklaces that belonged to my grandmothers and their before them. The fact that they continue to be such important family pieces is astonishing and really shows the emotion that they carry. I would love to see the pieces you make!

  7. You are seriously SO beautiful. I definitely want to see some of this jewelry of which you speak…

  8. Wow, you are super gorgeous and you sound just as cool and oh goodness, that over the shoulder look has me swooning!

  9. Your mermaid hair is kickin and your tat sleeve is BEAUTIFUL. I love the night backdrop & all the reasons why you love autostraddle. This place is amazing.

  10. Lynn, you are beautiful and I agree that Autostraddle is crazy, sexy beautiful and everything I wanted in a website!

  11. So much passion behind her work, truly wonderful. Also, I love how she speaks about Autostraddle…

    “And all the beautifully written prose of other queers’ experiences, the laughs and tears of their coming-outs. All of that made me feel sane in my own skin, made me realize I was still human after all — which was all that I really needed.”

    so very true for so very many of us.

  12. what a gorgeous human (and i love that ink too), and she’s a metal worker to boot? thank you AS.

  13. Wow wow wow. Super gorgeous AND and she says great things??? I really really really love this perfect human. <3333

  14. I get so excited every time I see a new calendar post and I am never fucking disappointed. It makes sense that such a “crazy, sexy beautiful” website gives us crazy, sexy beautiful queers. I love it.

  15. lynn. that tatto is seriously gorgeous, and a bfa in jewelry and metal arts is awesome. congratulations on your everything!

  16. I don’t know what to do with myself. How can there be so many fine queers that are also total badass sweethearts??

  17. Damn, girl. You are so interesting and beautiful!

    Also, I share your feelings about metal.

  18. Thank you! I struggled with my words, but really tried to express what autostraddle has meant to me over the years. ( I especially love reading riese’s everything) I still can’t believe I’m on here, and especially such wonderful comments :) this is a real happy birthday month to me too.

    for those of you that were asking about my work, I don’t have any production work, but here is a link so my thesis show. it was basically about my struggles through…. well being myself– queer and otherwise…. probably in a not-so-subtle way. http://hsianglynnpai.wix.com/lynnpai

  19. Honestly such a gorgeous woman. and to be so inspired by something she does. is a beautiful thing

    not to mention the beaut has some rockin ink.

    — side note. i never did comment on auto straddles introduction of OKC . because of this site which lead me to that site. i found my lovely lady who is my other half.

    3061km kept us apart until now. and because of you guys. i’m going to be moving to america in a year ( yay for being canadian and potential dual citizenship?) to be with her.

    Thank you.

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