Feminists at Trinity College Dublin are to boycott meetings of the university's Philosophical Society in protest at the choice of a porn star and a page-three model as speakers.
Guests at the society's October meetings include Mr Ron Jeremy, a veteran of the US pornographic film industry, and Kayleigh Pearson, reigning FHM magazine "High Street Honey of the Year".
Ms Pearson will chair next Thursday's comedy debate and will also date the winners of a charity raffle and the highest bidder in a "slave auction" during Freshers' Week. Mr Jeremy will address the society on October 15th.
But the Trinity Women's Issues Group has pledged to boycott meetings involving the two guests, and wants the media to do likewise.
"The \ deplorable practice of wasting funds on porn stars, glamour models, and page three girls is, we feel, insensitive and insulting," spokeswoman Ms Niamh Farrell said.
It was also an insult to the "more worthwhile guests" scheduled to address the society, including the Taoiseach, US Senator John McCain, and Nobel economist Joseph Stiglitz, she added.
But the Philosophical Society defended its choice of Mr Jeremy and Ms Pearson and denied wasting funds.
Spokesman Mr Patrick Cosgrave said that the society paid "coach class" air fares and other expenses for guests, but their participation in raffles, balls, and other events made their appearances self-financing. "We would encourage the Women's Issues Group to come along and make their case from within the society," he said.
