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This year marks the 70th anniversary of Hugh Hefner’s launch of Playboy Magazine. The inaugural issue featured a nude image of Marilyn Monroe, which he acquired and printed without her prior knowledge or consent.
Hefner built the Playboy brand on the countless women portrayed in its pages, whose allure and expressions of heightened femininity have captivated readers across generations.
As it nears its 70th anniversary in December, Playboy has undergone significant transformation. With the magazine no longer in circulation, the Playboy Mansion sold off, and London’s last existing Playboy Club closing in 2021, what does the future hold for Playboy? The brand is evolving to adapt to the post-#MeToo landscape.
Hefner died one month prior to the emergence of accusations against film producer Harvey Weinstein in 2017, which spurred the #MeToo movement (prompting survivors of sexual assault and harassment to speak out about their experiences).
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In recent years, many have revisited Hefner’s legacy and his interactions with women. The 2022 docuseries “The Secrets of Playboy” (broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK) outlined allegations of sexual misconduct against Hefner from numerous ex-girlfriends, such as model Sondra Theodore and TV figure Holly Madison.
The connection between Hefner and Playboy’s treatment of women has been intricate. Playboy was an early advocate for abortion rights, supported funding for the first rape kit, and at times acted as an early supporter of inclusivity (for instance, featuring transgender model Caroline “Tula” Cossey in its June 1981 issue). However, the bulk of women displayed in Playboy have conformed to a narrow definition of beauty — slender, Caucasian, able-bodied, and blonde.
Meanwhile, Hefner’s private relationships with his significantly younger partners were characterized by reportedly patterns of dominance and emotional mistreatment. Former girlfriend Holly Madison recounted Hefner’s treatment of her as akin to that of “a glorified pet” in her memoir, “Down the Rabbit Hole,” published in 2015.
Hefner’s death meant he evaded confronting the #MeToo movement. Playboy, however, took action, issuing a statement where it expressed support for the women featured in “The Secrets of Playboy” and described Hefner’s conduct as “abhorrent.”
The statement affirmed that the brand was no longer associated with the Hefner family and would concentrate on elements of the company’s legacy that resonate with principles of sexual positivity and free expression.
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Currently, Playboy is significantly different from the institution Hefner founded nearly 70 years ago. Approximately 80% of Playboy’s workforce identifies as female, according to the company, and its slogan has transitioned from “Entertainment for Men” to “Pleasure for All.” The company’s shares are publicly traded, and women make up 40% of its board and executive team.
The company has also embraced a more creator-driven content model through its app, Playboy Centerfold. Similar to subscription service OnlyFans, Playboy Centerfold enables subscribers to view and interact with content from its creators, referred to as “bunnies.”
On the app, creators — or bunnies — can present their own bodies as they choose, restoring control to themselves. Perhaps Playboy’s future lies no longer in catering to the male gaze, but instead in serving the very audience Hefner disregarded in his initial letter from the editor:
“If you’re a man aged 18 to 80, Playboy is intended for you … If you’re someone’s sister, wife, or mother-in-law who happened to pick us up by mistake, kindly pass along to the man in your life and return to your Ladies Home Companion.”
The bunnies next door
Stars of Playboy’s mid-2000s reality show, Holly Madison and Bridget Marquardt, are experiencing a resurgence in popularity among fans.
“The Girls Next Door” premiered in 2004. The series highlighted the lives of Hefner’s three partners: Madison, Marquardt, and Kendra Wilkinson. It became E!’s top-performing show and attracted a new female audience for Playboy.
“The Girls Next Door” told a tale of complex empowerment amidst patriarchal interference. Its three female leads transitioned from being merely known as Hefner’s blonde companions to becoming celebrities in their own right.
Each ultimately ended their relationships with Hefner, departing the Mansion and going on to pursue successful careers.
The show’s portrayal of Madison, Marquardt, and Wilkinson as empowered, vibrant, and multifaceted individuals, who embraced joy and autonomy through the expression of their sexuality, likely appealed to many female viewers. Nevertheless, in the face of the girls’ quest for autonomy, Hefner pushed back.
The series demonstrated that he retained the final authority on every Playboy image of the women, enforcing strict curfews and financial allowances.
In their memoirs, “Down the Rabbit Hole,” and “Sliding into Home,” Madison and Wilkinson assert that production consistently marginalized them. They were not compensated for the first season, weren’t credited until the fourth season, and their uncensored nude bodies aired in international broadcasts and DVD releases without consent.
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Fan enthusiasm for “The Girls Next Door” remains robust. In August 2022, Madison and Marquardt inaugurated their podcast “Girls Next Level,” where they engage with past playmates and fans. They also provide recaps of episodes from their perspectives, reflecting on their experiences while working on the series.
Garnering 10 million downloads as of February 2023, the podcast’s success — 14 years post the last episode of “The Girls Next Door” — highlights the cultural impact of the Playboy brand. It also demonstrates that despite Hefner’s original editor’s note, Playboy still resonates with certain women.
Playboy now navigates a post-Hefner landscape, where the imagery of women within the pages of past issues can inspire others to embrace their own sexuality. Whatever lies ahead for the company, the notion of Playboy has transformed into public domain — reflected in the prevalence of Playboy bunny costumes each Halloween, the popularity of playful Playboy logo tattoos, and associated lingerie and apparel.
In a post-#MeToo world, the women of Playboy are vocalizing their stories and asserting their rights. With the mansion gates securely locked, the bunnies are reclaiming the brand for themselves.
Top Image: Hugh Hefner with Playboy “bunnies” in London in 1966.
Daisy McManaman is a PhD Candidate at the Centre for Women’s Studies, University of York. Daisy McManaman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Republished under a Creative Commons license from The Conversation.
