Yes, and Playboy must seek a feminist route in doing so!
By Nathan Ross
After 62 years, Playboy has decided that it will no longer feature fully nude images of naked women in its pages, which has become known as their trademark.
So what?
This doesn’t mean anything except that Playboy is trying to stay relevant. It isn’t about not featuring erotic women, as it’s basically going to become a glorified version of Maxim, GQ, or one of several men’s-focused magazines out there. It really isn’t that different or groundbreaking.
In a world where naked photos of men, women, and people of identities between or off the gender binary are available for free in a second, seeing Playboy no longer dedicate a centerfold to nudes doesn’t really feel like that big of a deal.
The move was done to boost the magazine’s sales and online hits, which had reportedly been dropping fast over the last while.
Sure, if Hugh Hefner and company want to give Playboy a spark, this is definitely a quick fix that will generate good press for a little bit, which will parlay into raised sales. However, if Playboy Enterprises Inc. really want to give their flagship a permanent boost, there is something else they should really consider doing.
Make Playboy an openly feminist magazine.
Recently, writers like Noah Berlatsky have been saying that they are writing for the magazine because they are trying to promote women’s issues from within. Whether or not this is actually true or just another marketing technique, women’s issues are in some way on their radar.
Even though the way they’ve been going at it has so far been questionable, I think there’s a real market for Playboy, and that is those “He for She” feminists that want to be a part of the fight but understand that they aren’t the core of the issues. A large part of feminism is built around ‘women only’ safe spaces — as they rightfully should be — but in the last few years, there is a growing acknowledgement that what feminism is fighting for would also benefit men, and Playboy could help illustrate that in mainstream media.
A magazine to help uneducated males learn about toxic masculinity, how patriarchy actually hinders them, how to co-exist with the people in their lives, and so on is a valuable resource that we don’t have right now. It could be like the Terry Crews of magazines — the muscular, ex-NFL player, and ‘alpha male’-turned-actor who has also penned Manhood: How To Be A Better Man or Just Live With One.
Playboy removing its nudes is just step one, but unless it truly commits to taking this journey, it really isn’t that much of a difference at this point.
No, Playboy should actually keep its nudes to empower women!
By Jessica Whitesel
When I think of Playboy two things instantly come to mind: the classic “I only read it for the articles” line, and wondering which model was given the opportunity to grace the hallowed domain of the centerfold. With the recent decision to remove nudity from the legendary magazine, I’ve been left with a somewhat empty, quizzical feeling.
While in recent years the Internet porn business has boomed, and leaked celebrity nude shots have set the world buzzing, can these really take the place of a well-curated gentlemen’s magazine? I really don’t think they can.
Playboy began in 1953 with nude Marilyn Monroe in the centerfold. And while the magazine has taken a turn from the celebrity centerfold in recent years, it shocks me that more female celebrities who’ve had leaked photos chose not to re-take possession of their nudity and do a centerfold spread with the magazine. While it would be fueling the fire, so to speak, if one’s body is made ‘objectified,’ taking ownership of your nudity would coincide nicely with the movement to reclaim labels — and the actions associated with them — that are derogatory towards women.
Human trafficking and sexual exploitation are real problems that women face, but these women are not the ones who are represented in the pages of Playboy. The women in Playboy chose to be portrayed in a certain way, and as such, they made a personal choice to take ownership of their bodies. The issue that I take with removing nudity from Playboy is that there will no longer be this unique and potentially empowering avenue for women to take ownership of their own bodies.
I am not saying that all Internet porn is bad and filled with women who are part of human trafficking rings, but to remove Playboy’s nudity removes a publicly available (and relatively affordable) means for women to exert some form of sexual agency within an industry based largely on the desires of a male gaze.
