The 22 students are listed with their full names, along with a photo, which Vindicat house the live in, their (mobile) phone number and, according to the almanac’s anonymous creators, ‘a undisputable rating’ which ranges from one to five. Underneath the photos, several dotted lines are meant to be filled in with comments or an opinion, as well as a box in the top corner to be checked off.
On Thursday, the almanac’s existence was initially made known by Groningen city blog Sikkom and can be found – and downloaded – online. The UK was also able to view the document.
It is not the first time that a list of this nature has been created, according to the short foreword by the writers. ‘We present you with the third edition of the Real Almanac. After a disappointing year in 2015, where there were a mere two horny broads, our editorial staff has chosen to resume the tradition this year. 2016 shall be remembered for its massive number of hotties.’
The board of Vindicat is ‘intentionally distancing themselves’ from the True Almanac. After the list was published, the board of the student association contacted all 22 of the girls who are listed in the document. ‘We will do everything we can to protect their privacy’, says rector (chairperson) Stijn Derksen.
Derksen says, ‘It’s a very bad joke with a very negative outcome, and it is truly awful for the girls involved. We are taking the matter extremely seriously and will take appropriate action against the creator or creators.’ Derksen declined to say what sort of actions may be taken. Members of the student association are also being informed that this sort of activity ‘can never be allowed to happen again.’
At least one local political figure has also spoken out on the matter. The Young Socialists, the youth chapter of the PvdA in Groningen, called the almanac ‘reprehensible.’ ‘This almanac is not the first sexist story that has emerged from Groningen’s oldest student association. The women are unwittingly objectified and are seen as an easy piece of meat. It’s a sickening display of sexism of the highest degree and has absolutely no place in Groningen’s student life, let alone online’, says chairperson Rico Tjepkema.