“One thing about my personality I might like to change would be my shyness,” says Miss July 1987. Coming to Playboy from Bismark, North Dakota is Carmen Berg. “I’m a loving person, but my shyness makes it difficult for me to express feelings sometimes, and I think that’s held me back.” Miss Berg may feel as though her timidity is a flaw, but it was certainly nowhere to be seen when we met her on set for her photoshoot. The all-natural blonde entered the Playboy offices looking cool, calm and determined to make us—and herself—into believers. “I know some people will think it's contradictory to say that I'm a strong Catholic, that I believe in God and that I'm posing for Playboy,” points out Carmen. “The Church probably wouldn't favor my posing nude, but I feel that I have a close personal relationship with God and that He won't condemn me.” Miss July was raised in a religious community in North Dakota, and while back home neighbors must be gossiping about her coming Playmate, their words will not affect her, nor her self-confidence. “God didn't make up all these rules that you shouldn't pose nude, that people aren't supposed to use contraception or that women shouldn't have abortions. We don't have the right to impose our views on others,” explains our Playmate of the Month. Vocal Carmen largely believes that women, whether they are religious or not, should use their voice to help teen mothers and women who are struggling to make ends meet instead of attacking Playmates for their career choice. “I think that a lot of those girls wouldn't be in that situation if they'd had more information about sex,” says Miss Berg about the teenage mothers she assists at a shelter where she volunteers on a weekly basis. “I feel pretty lucky that I didn't get into trouble in high school, but then, I hardly ever dated. I spent most of my time studying.” Miss July 1987 may be young, but with her wisdom, she is a role model for girls everywhere.