Meet The Strapping Fish-Men Of The 2018 Merb’y Calendar

Jim Rowley

7 years ago

“Dudeoir” style photography has become extremely popular in recent years, and if you’re into that sort of thing, you need to know about the 2018 Merb’y calendar. And best of all, not only is it a must-have for any dudeoir aficionado, it’s also for a good cause.

The Merb’y calendar started last year, and it’s the work of the Newfoundland & Labrador Beard & Mustache Club–“Merb’y” is a portmanteau of the words “merman” and “b’y,” a Newfoundland slang word that means “buddy” or “boy.” The club’s founder, Hasan Hai, got the idea to put together a bearded merman calendar when a friend sent him a photo of a mermaid on Facebook. And the calendar is a perfect representation of what the NLBMC is all about: challenging traditional views of masculinity.

“Men can be vulnerable, [and] can show emotion and affection,” he told Cafe Mom. “We can wear wild colors and hold hands. We can be all shapes and sizes, and there is no stigma in any of it!”

Proceeds from the calendar benefit the Spirit Horse Mental Health Program, an organization that teaches people life skills with the help of therapeutic interactions with horses. This year’s calendar sold over 16,000 copies, netting the charity $300,000.

The 2018 Merb’y calendar sale has already ended, but if you’d like to keep up to date on all things bearded merman, you can visit their website here. And in the meantime, you can check out some mer-models below.