On Sept. 27, Playboy Magazine Editor-in-Chief Hugh Hefner was declared dead at age 91 due to a cardiac arrest. Playboy Magazine was founded by Hefner in 1953. Playboy is credited as playing an important role in helping the sexual revolution with their spreads of semi-nude and nude women.
Hefner was notorious for living in his Playboy Mansion with hundreds of beautiful playboy bunnies surrounding him at all times. After Hefner’s death, social media was flooded with memorial posts praising Hefner for being a “legend” and for essentially pioneering a sexual revolution and advocating for women's empowerment.
It was also rumored Hefner will be buried next to the famous Marilyn Monroe, the first nude model for Playboy Magazine, or was she? It was reported Marilyn Monroe took nude photos in a time before she was famous and needed money. Once Monroe gained popularity, Hefner bought those images and displayed them without the consent of Monroe. Many people argue this isn't true, but there are now more recent accounts.
Vanna White, most famous for her small role in the game show Wheel of Fortune, did an interview on the Wendy Williams show on Feb. 10, 2016 speaking about her career, tabloids, rumors and Hefner. Much like Monroe, White was low on money and decided to take risqué photos. White and Hefner became friends when Hefner found these photos and purchased them for $500.
“Well, I wasn’t on there because I wanted to be,” said White. “I said, Hef, if you put these photos on the cover, my career could be ruined!”
White argued she told Hefner she didn't want him to publish the photos but Hefner refused. If posting naked photos of women without their consent isn't enough to sway you away from idolizing him, maybe some more evidence will.
Hefner sold, used and manipulated women for his own personal gain, according to ex-bunny, Holly Madison. Hefner gave the bunnies a $1,000 allowance every Friday, but this allowance was easily manipulated and taken away.
As Playboy gained popularity in a time where women were shamed for being sexy and provocative, Hefner seemingly gave women a place in the media that broke the stigma that a woman cannot love her body and show it off simultaneously.
Any person today, however, with any sort of education on the feminist movement and the Playboy franchise can see that Hefner did the exact opposite of empowering women.
So, please, tell me again how a rich, straight, white male exploiting women for his own personal gain while not paying them is helping women?
When readers pick up a Playboy magazine, they aren't thinking about how amazing it is that a woman can celebrate her body. They are using the photos for their own personal pleasure and then tossing it to the side.
Hefner’s death also brought to light the sexism and double standards in the sex work industry.
While Hefner was praised in the media as a playboy and legend for sleeping with numerous women, his female sex workers and his famous bunnies weren't as lucky.
Even in 2017, female sex workers are often slut-shamed, disrespected and in the most extreme cases, targeted for violence. Hefner made few statements regarding women empowerment and never showed actual support for the feminist movement beyond his magazines.
He used the mask of feminism, but behind closed doors, he had very strict and controlling rules for his bunnies.
Ex-playmate Madison wrote a book speaking on her experience in the mansion titled, "Down the Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures and Cautionary Tales of a Former Playboy Bunny." In her book, Madison described the strict rules Hefner placed on them such as a strict 9 p.m. curfew, controlling social media posts and punishments for not attending date nights or not participating in Hefner’s bedroom sex parties.
“Like Beauty locked up in the Beast’s castle, I developed my own brand of Stockholm syndrome, identifying with my captor,” Madison wrote.
Hefner may have founded an entire brand for himself, but that is exactly who the brand is for, himself. His brand was not for women, the feminist movement or the sexual revolution. It was strictly for him to build up his fortune, his brand and his legacy.
It was a way for a crusty, old abuser to be idolized by many across the globe for being a womanizer while women today still have a never ending battle against sexism, discrimination and slut-shaming.
So, Mr. Hefner, I will not be mourning you. Women will not be mourning you, for you did nothing but hurt our movement even more. We do not need you exploiting us, and the movement we have worked so hard for.
We will better society. We will make a name for ourselves. We will empower ourselves, and we will happily do it without your help.
