For years, if you wanted hunks on the smoko room door, you'd pin up the New Zealand Firefighters Calendar - but now that's all changed.
The 32nd New Zealand Firefighters Calendar is now available, but instead of featuring men suggestively holding a firehose, there is a firefighter and child smiling happily as they save the country - and the change of tune has some people outraged.
The NZ Firefighters calendar has raised over $1 million for the Child Cancer Foundation and year after year it was a fire well and truly lit under New Zealand's tush.
But this year, the hot bods are no more and while the money still goes to a great cause, there are some fans who miss the good old days of rippling tattooed abs and muscular arms.
Stuff columnist Verity Johnson raised the issue in an opinion piece on Tuesday, saying the calendar this year reflects a boring anti-sexualisation.
"It's part of a puritanical, pursed-lip, ass-clenched, joy-crushing sex negativity settling over society like intermittent drizzle on Christmas Day," Johnson wrote.
Speaking to The Project, Johnson said we lost a "national treasure" to a squeamish society.
She said people have become worried about saying the wrong thing and afraid of talking about sexuality or desire, but in reality, poetry has always been about sex and lust.
"People are afraid of having fun with sex and I think that's really sad," Johnson said.
There is nothing wrong with talking about sex, you just have to do it with intelligence and fun, Johnson said.
"For me, the firemen's calendar was actually always about this revolutionary step to put female desire and the female gaze right at the front of society," she said.
And Johnson is not alone. She has had a huge response from people who also want to bring back the firemen hotties.
"This is a topic that has ignited the nation… I just really miss the old hot men, please come back."
Even without the pecs, it's still a great cause. You can buy a new firefighters calendar here.
Watch the full interview above.
