Rael criticizes critics of scientist’s shirt worn in televised interview; Gotopless invites Taylor to join its next topless rally

LAS VEGAS, Nov. 19 – Rael spiritual leader of the International Raelian Movement (IRM), had critical words for a news article that lambasted scientist Matt Taylor for wearing a shirt the article's author deemed offensive and politically incorrect.

Rael’s comments countering the article viewpoint were issued today in a statement released by the IRM.

Taylor, who worked on the European Space Agency’s Rosetta Project that landed a spacecraft on Comet Philae, recently appeared on a televised interview for Nature Newsteam. During the interview, in which he commented on the project, he wore a shirt that lavishly depicted nude women in alluring poses.

The article attacking both Taylor and his shirt, entitled “I don’t care if you landed a spacecraft on a comet, your shirt is sexist and ostracizing,” and carrying the subheading, “That’s one small step for man, three steps back for humankind,” appeared ontheverge.com on November 13. Referring to Taylor’s apparel as “a bowling shirt covered in scantly clad caricatures of sexy women in provocative poses,” the author commented that Taylor chose to “represent the space community” wearing a shirt that “demeans 50 percent of the world’s population.”

“This is a very stupid article; you can be a female scientist and also enjoy posing naked,” Rael commented in today’s statement. He added, “This criticism is full of Christian prejudice against sex and nudity.”

Taylor apologized publicly for wearing the shirt. But according to Raelian philosophy, which celebrates nudity, the unadorned female body and renditions of such, Taylor owed no one an apology.

“On the contrary, he should be commended, both for expressing his individuality with expressive clothing and for wearing a shirt that celebrates the nude female body in all its glory,” said Brigitte Boisselier, spokesperson for the IRM. “ We are still struggling from thousands of years of gender prejudice and imposed modesty on women. Sexy looking girls are considered sluts and Gotopless activists are fined. (The Gotopless organization, inspired by Rael, unites men and women fighting for equal gender rights so that everyone can legally go bare-chested in public.)

“I hope Matt Taylor will join our next Gotopless Day rally wearing his now-famous shirt,” said Gotopless Spokesperson Nadine Gary.