Just about a year after they announced they were doing away with nudity in their print magazine, Playboy has just announced that they’re slipping off their cut-off shorts to reveal their wares once again. (Honestly, these never-nude jokes write themselves. Thanks, Tobias.) Nudity is back in the magazine, and Playboy is leaning into the cultural changes. Elizabeth Elam will be featured on the cover of the March/April 2017 issue, which also sports the tagline “Naked is Normal,” while omitting the traditional “Entertainment for Men.”
Cooper Hefner, son of Playboy’s creator Hugh Hefner, recently took to Twitter to explain the decision, saying, “I’ll be the first to admit that the way in which the magazine portrayed nudity was dated, but removing it entirely was a mistake. Nudity was never the problem because nudity isn’t a problem. Today we’re taking our identity back and reclaiming who we are.” He also remarked on the change in tagline, saying, “Playboy will always be a lifestyle brand focused on men’s interests, but as gender roles continue to evolve in society, so will we.”
For many, this good news, because what’s the point of Playboy without the centerfolds? Oh, wait. There are actual articles and interviews with interesting people? Huh.
Check out Playboy’s sort-of SFW March/April 2017 cover below.
Our March/April 2017 cover #NakedIsNormalhttps://t.co/FhCkcmnV0Spic.twitter.com/WSxMElDa94
— Playboy (@Playboy) February 13, 2017