Since its first issue in 1953, Playboy Magazine has been known for featuring fully nude models. Beginning this March, that’s going to change. A few weeks ago, Playboy announced that they will no longer include nude photos in their print magazine.
This decision comes as a result of the increasing availability of nudity on the internet. The company’s chief executive, Scott Flanders, commented that, “You’re now one click away from every sex act imaginable for free.” Pornographic magazines do not have the same appeal they once did because it is so easy to find the same material online, often for free.
These changes are reflected in the magazine’s declining sales numbers. Its height circulation was 5.6 million in 1975, and today it has dropped to just 800,000. Executives are hoping that by eliminating nudity in their magazines, they will see the same results they saw when they stopped featuring nudity online. Monthly web traffic increased by 12 million users, and the average age of viewers dropped from 47 to around 30.
Additionally, since the magazine will be cleaner, its content can be featured on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter which will also increase viewership. This will help them narrow in on their target audience- young, city-dwelling men.
So what will be the result of eliminating full nudity in the magazine? This article in GQ magazine stressed that it will lead readers to actually pay attention to the articles because they won’t be as distracted by naked women. Playboy actually features works of fiction, investigative journalism and interviews that often get overlooked. Additionally, the sex columnist is going to be a “sex-positive female,” which could do wonders for eliminating the stigma surrounding sex for women. These sections, as well as the works of visual artists that will be woven in throughout the novel, will receive more attention because of the lack of nudity.
Yet this change is reflective of a larger issue on society. The increasing availability of explicit content online raises concerns over how it is regulated. It is much more difficult to make sure an obscure internet site is following the rules than a major company like Playboy. Can we really be sure that these sites aren’t employing minors, are making sure intercourse is protected, and looking out for the overall wellbeing of the models?
Then again, while an increase in sources for pornographic material may have its drawbacks, it may also have some positive effects. Playboy’s models are not particularly representative of the general population. With a wider variety of pornographic sources available, the chances that these will depict more women of color, transgender people, and people of different sexual orientations also increase. We are no longer strictly defined by the image of beauty and sexuality that Playboy portrays.
Cover image courtesy of Shutterstock.
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