Playboy a publication notorious for featuring the bare female anatomy, has decided to abandon this concept that made them famous. They believe that they have served their purpose, in catalyzing the “sexual revolution” which essentially desensitized the world to nudity. Though this decision; made by Hugh Hefner himself and another editor; may seem refreshing to some, it come as more of a business decision, rather than an ethical or arguably feminist one.
Playboy’s sales have taken a drastic plunge over the years. Their CEO, Scott Flanders, explained that due to the ease of access to nude and provocative images through the internet, this is not enough to sustain a competitive advantage for this magazine. He stated that “you’re now one click away from every sex act imaginable for free”. This radical change will completely change the nature and direction.
The magazine states that future editions will still contain “sexy, seductive pictorials of the world’s most beautiful women”. It appears that the magazine will become a more toned-down version of itself, potentially focusing more on the literary content. Many, such as former playboy covergirl, Dita Von Teese, believe that this is will be a beneficial change for the publication, “truthfully, I think it was over a while ago.”