Hugh Hefner - Cultural and Feminist Lightning Rod

[Ethan Reigns]

On Wednesday, 27 Sept 2017, one of America's cultural icons died at age 91. Hugh Hefner was famous for the Playboy mansion, the Playboy clubs and casinos but most obviously for Playboy magazine. He was born the son of Methodists and he was a descendant of William Bradford, Puritan governor of the Plymouth Colony.

His magazine featured women in various attire (including nothing) and Charisma Carpenter was one of the centrefolds and for all the people on this board who do graphics manipulation, so was Lena Soderberg, the famous "girl with a hat" that has been the test of graphics software for decades.

Gloria Steinem worked undercover as a bunny for Show magazine at the New York Playboy Club and had a lasting enmity for Hefner but it gave her the credentials to become a feminist leader in 1963 when she published her story.

Playboy fought against the ban on contraception, fought for abortion rights, fought against the Viet Nam war, fought for decriminalization of marijuana but most importantly fought against repressive puritanical laws about sex and in favour of the sexual revolution.

There were large numbers of people who appeared in his articles including President Jimmy Carter, Bertrand Russel, Ayn Rand, Jean-Paul Sartre, Malcolm X, Ray Bradbury, Vladimir Nabokov, Kurt Vonnegut, Saul Bellow, John Updike and Joyce Carol Oates. All those who were interviewed for these articles marvelled that they were the fairest, most balanced interviews anywhere and the quality of the articles was such that they were considered legitimate sources for academic discussion.

Those who were not alive during the 1950's would have difficulty understanding the intensity of sexual repression in that era and of course, the number of unwanted children who were born as a result of the criminalization of contraception. So the question is: was Hugh Hefner a cultural benefit to feminists or was he the enemy Gloria Steinem portrayed? Was he more or less of a benefit to feminism than Joss Whedon?

 

[Blaze]

I don’t care that this wrinkly, abusive old turtle is dead

If the feminist movement moved forward, it certainly wasn't because of him. It was because of the work everyone else put in for which he took credit. The guy was a grade A misogynist.

 

[WillowFromBuffy]

I will say something for Playboy. This book is one of my dearest possession (not my picture, because the book is in a box somewhere). It is one of the most respectful and comprehensive interviews with Joan Baez I have ever read.

Also, they did publish the short stories of a few authors who later became famous, such as Ursula Le Guin's Nine Lives. A very touching little thing about loneliness and how we are forced to violate ourselves in our interactions with others.

Playboy fought against the ban on contraception, fought for abortion rights...

I guess there are times when the concerns of women and douchebag men align 😉

 

[Ethan Reigns]

If you live in Montana, sex is legal - but only in the missionary position. There are a lot of laws on the books in the US like this and Hefner took aim at every one of them. There are a lot of people in prison in the US for crimes against similar laws because the Puritannical era is not over. Although federal law is not as religiously motivated, state law certainly is.

The vast majority of the women who stayed at the Playboy mansion said it was a delightful time with everyone being very courteous and respectful of other people's boundaries and was the place they felt the safest of anywhere they had been. Many of those whose names you would know have tweeted to this effect in the past few days.

Hefner was perplexed by the feminist criticism of his empire. He thought of it as building a civilization where body, mind and soul are in harmony rather than conflict. Without the loosening of the moral stranglehold of churches and Puritans alike, the modern feminist movement could never have started.

 

[Anyanka Bunny Slayer]

So the question is: was Hugh Hefner a cultural benefit to feminists or was he the enemy Gloria Steinem portrayed? Was he more or less of a benefit to feminism than Joss Whedon?

Hugh was a national treasure. Those Playboy pictorials were very artistic and so pretty. (unlike Hustler's sleaze fest, which featured girls who looked like $20 hookers)

He's one of those people that seemed to have always been here; you know, like Michael Jackson or Ronnie James Dio. When people like that die, it just feels so strange.

Hugh actually lived a typical male fantasy; surrounded by beautiful young women, throwing massive, drug-fueled parties, and basking in the admiration/jealousy of men everywhere. He re-invented the "men's magazine" by featuring gorgeous girls in tasteful poses, (unlike Hustler, Penthouse, etc) and also great photography. In other words, he brought a touch of class to this genre.

As for Gloria Steinem...she's an aging, saggy bit of nothing. Her opinions mean nothing, she is nothing. In addition to having the same hairstyle for nearly fifty years, this annoying harpy is like an old record that plays the same tune...over, and over, and over. When future generations unearth Steinem's time capsule, they'll find a few torched bras, a ratty hairpiece, and those stupid glasses she used to wear.

Rest in peace, Hugh Hefner. 🙂

 

[thrasherpix]

Those who were not alive during the 1950's would have difficulty understanding the intensity of sexual repression in that era and of course, the number of unwanted children who were born as a result of the criminalization of contraception. So the question is: was Hugh Hefner a cultural benefit to feminists or was he the enemy Gloria Steinem portrayed? Was he more or less of a benefit to feminism than Joss Whedon?

I don't know about HH specifically, though I vaguely recall how he did fight a lot of issues. And...just pointing it out...just because he fought on the same side as some feminists doesn't mean he didn't have very different reasons for doing so. Sad to say, some feminists also fought alongside fundamentalist Christians (one I vaguely recall--and I believe this happened in Canada--was one well known anti-porn feminist who worked with Christian fundies to hamper the spread of porn only to have one of her own books banned under the anti=porn regulation or law her group and some Christian organization got passed because of how it graphically portrayed sexual abuse in society), despite that both sides technically hated each other. The Satanic Panics was, I'm sure, the absolutely worst thing that ever came out of such an unholy alliance (primarily of the 1980s, and though they weren't the only factions involved that caused it, they seem to be the primary ones to fan those flames and exploit it for political ends). The point being, you can actually be an enemy and an asset (for better and worse) at the same time.

That aside, I'm glad that 1950s style repression is over, and find it hard to care about personal motivations of those that brought about real change. If second wave feminists ever had to "sleep with the enemy" then I'd prefer it be Hugh Hefner than the Christian Right.

 

[GoSpuffy]

He is a contradiction as he definitely did influence society for the good in some circumstances but at the same time women flocked to him to gain power and control over their own sexuality and he took advantage of those women. He was in a position of authority over those women who had become to sleep with him to get ahead. Hugh or bill Cosby or Joss Whedon, it's always the same, men with money and power objectifying and controlling women.

 

[brinkster130]

Him being a cultural icon and being a total creep aren’t mutually exclusive. I think he was both.

I did find the fact that he made plans to be buried next to Marilyn Monroe odd. And I guess it fits in with his image as a whole... The man who published her naked photos without consent thought it would be sweet to “spend eternity” with her.

 

[Bite-me]

Yes @Ethan Reigns, a difference between sex out in the open, where women can talk about their sexuality and claim it and be honest about their sexual experiences and the silence of the old Hollywood studio system where women were passed around like escorts...

As GoSpuffy says, the issue is men with all the authority and power, the answer is not to return to a repressed chaperone culture (or hypocrisy more accurately) but having women ascend the latter of social power and authority. It is the only answer to the prudes question (prudes are people who want to protect others from themselves) what is to be done about men like Hugh and Joss? I wouldn't put them in the same box with a serial rapist. There are men out there not interested in women in any other capacity and they will always exist you know, there are also men out there who only have sex with the same women their entire life who they treat poorly and beat up, the answer is to recognize women's autonomy and agency so we can protect ourselves, we don't need chaperones besides we would lose out in that scenario too.

 

[Ethan Reigns]

Him being a cultural icon and being a total creep aren’t mutually exclusive. I think he was both.

I did find the fact that he made plans to be buried next to Marilyn Monroe odd. And I guess it fits in with his image as a whole... The man who published her naked photos without consent thought it would be sweet to “spend eternity” with her.

His company was started with $600 of his own money, $1000 of his mother's money and the rights he had purchased for $500 for a nude calendar of Marilyn Monroe. Definitely Marilyn Monroe had either relinquished the rights or had sold them and they were subsequently sold to Hefner. His first issue was December 1953 and the print run of 51,000 copies sold out quickly. Then as now, publishing photos without consent, particularly nude photos, had enormous legal consequences.

 

[Bite-me]

The buried next to Marilyn Monroe thing is weird. And she was surrounded by men at death, she would of survived with a group of women around her but at the time I guess this wasn't as possible they also had their husbands who came first, men are not your friends, gay men will say the same thing, the queer thing is men in a matriarchal society are not put upon, everybody is happy, this is not me being utopianistic, it is like the way people in the 1800s wouldn't conceive of free education and dental work doesn't mean those things are perfect in our society today, they are just greatly improved. History is not a straight line, we must travel back thousand years to find equality for both men and women, I am reading Stacy Schiff's Cleopatra A Life and when the East lost to Rome, the role of woman receded markedly it remained diminished and virtually subservient until the 20th century. Western civilization was to be modeled after Rome and it would have been very different if Cleopatra and Anthony had came out on top, which goes without saying "Things would have been different if they had been different" but it was not to be until the end of the Second World War that the high status of women would be duplicated in the western world, yeah unfortunately history is not a straight line.

 

[Anyanka Bunny Slayer]

...women flocked to him to gain power and control over their own sexuality and he took advantage of those women. He was in a position of authority over those women who had become to sleep with him to get ahead.

The reason women flocked to him had nothing to do with gaining power and control. Actually, it's a lot simpler than that; when you became a Playmate, you received money and (sometimes short-lived) fame. Also, you became a part of the Playboy "family." Hugh really took good care of his girls...and if, by chance, you became his girlfriend, you lived a life of total luxury.

Becoming a Playmate was like receiving society's stamp of approval; as in, you are officially a hottie. (Yeah, yeah, you had to bang Hugh and all, but I suppose that's a small price to pay for instant stardom) And of course he took advantage of them. I'd wager that any single, straight guy in his position would've done the same thing. Besides, everyone knew what was expected....they knew how the game was played. Hollywood's version of bartering.

 

[WillowFromBuffy]

His company was started with $600 of his own money, $1000 of his mother's money and the rights he had purchased for $500 for a nude calendar of Marilyn Monroe. Definitely Marilyn Monroe had either relinquished the rights or had sold them and they were subsequently sold to Hefner. His first issue was December 1953 and the print run of 51,000 copies sold out quickly. Then as now, publishing photos without consent, particularly nude photos, had enormous legal consequences.

It is perfectly legal to be a douchebag. Buying nude photos someone made when they were young, poor and unknown to kickstart your own brand, while at the same time hurting their career and then buying a crypt next to where they are buried certainly qualifies.

 

[Mr Trick]

The reason women flocked to him had nothing to do with gaining power and control. Actually, it's a lot simpler than that; when you became a Playmate, you received money and (sometimes short-lived) fame. Also, you became a part of the Playboy "family." Hugh really took good care of his girls...and if, by chance, you became his girlfriend, you lived a life of total luxury.

Becoming a Playmate was like receiving society's stamp of approval; as in, you are officially a hottie. (Yeah, yeah, you had to bang Hugh and all, but I suppose that's a small price to pay for instant stardom) And of course he took advantage of them. I'd wager that any single, straight guy in his position would've done the same thing. Besides, everyone knew what was expected....they knew how the game was played. Hollywood's version of bartering.

Well I'm not sure anyone with any substance to them actually should be looking for that sort of fame. As for them becoming 'officially a hottie' nothing like that can ever be offical. As for your comment about any single man doing what Hugh did to young girls? I wouldn't because I have morals. I'd rather a girl sleep with me because they like me rather than for my power or fame or whatever superficial reasons. And its not just that he slept with the girls, but he abused them. If you knew about some of the dark stories coming out of the Playboy Manison then I think you would find it hard to defend him. He's was a sleaze plain and simple for me.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

Here's an excerpt from a nice article about the sleaze:

What I think of is the authentic, talented, revolutionary genius who dared to dream big (and then bigger) and worked day and night to build a rich literary magazine that gave permission to all men and women to express their sexual desires and enjoy their lives.

I think of the passionate civil rights activist who booked black artists such as Lenny Bruce and Sammy Davis, Jr. on his shows, Playboy Penthouse and Playboy After Dark (leading to its cancellation of the former) when no other host would. I admire the business owner who bought back franchises of his famed Playboy Clubs at a deep loss when he found out the owners were not allowing black members in.

I think of the heterosexual man who openly took a stand for gay rights at a time when homophobia permeated most every corner of society and an editor who championed freedom and liberalization for all people in his iconic Playboy Philosophy essays which ran from December 1962 to May 1965.

I think of the human being who spoke openly about how pregnancy out of wedlock came with a huge social stigma for woman and even led to people committing suicide and the unintentional death of women in times when abortions were not available. The man who fought on behalf of Roe VS Wade and to get the pill approved and made available to women all over the country.

As a writer and editor with a love of great visuals and groundbreaking editorial, I can say (and have always said) that there was no greater magazine put out than Playboy from 1953-1980. Passionate about Jazz, classic films, great stories and beautiful women, he showcased some of the most disruptive writers in history including Jack Kerouac, Margaret Atwood, and Norman Mailer. The game-changing Playboy Interview which showcased in-depth, meaningful discussions with artists, singers, actors, writers and political leaders such as Fidel Castro and Jimmy Carter who famously admitted that he had committed adultery in his heart in the interview.

The real Hugh Hefner was an incurable romantic who was proudly faithful in his three marriages and passionate about transparency in all relationships. One of my favourite interviews had him discussing fidelity and respect. “Cheating is about the lie and I don’t lie to my partners. I don’t lie about who I am,” he said.

The last paragraph and line I thought was interesting in light of another famous sleaze who recently had his lies exposed.

 

[Mr Trick]

And there have been plenty of negative articles about him too and rightfully so. This thread is about Herfner not Joss may I remind you Pole. The two are not even close IMO.

 

[Ethan Reigns]

It is perfectly legal to be a douchebag. Buying nude photos someone made when they were young, poor and unknown to kickstart your own brand, while at the same time hurting their career and then buying a crypt next to where they are buried certainly qualifies.

Poor and unknown? Marilyn Monroe had an imdb record that starts in 1948 and she had been famous for "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" which opened in 1953, the same year Hefner bought the image rights. I completely agree that having some preference for where you are buried is odd - it implies that in some form, your spirit will remain to see what is around you.

 

[Taake]

I don’t care that this wrinkly, abusive old turtle is dead

If the feminist movement moved forward, it certainly wasn't because of him. It was because of the work everyone else put in for which he took credit. The guy was a grade A misogynist.

Oh gawd, I had to stop reading that after they got into Holly Madison the poor wee little bunny... please. She and other girls make it sound as if he picked them up off the street, against their wills, and locked them up in that house like he's Buffalo Bill or something.

RIP Hef, flaws and all.

 

[brinkster130]

Poor and unknown? Marilyn Monroe had an imdb record that starts in 1948 and she had been famous for "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" which opened in 1953, the same year Hefner bought the image rights. I completely agree that having some preference for where you are buried is odd - it implies that in some form, your spirit will remain to see what is around you.

Yes, the photos were taken in 1949 when she was poor and an unknown actress. So unknown at the time that the pictures weren’t even used until 4 years later when Hugh decided to buy them and use them. The fact that him putting her on the cover ended up propelling both to stardom doesn’t change the fact that he did so without her ever knowing about it, and the fact that she wasn’t thrilled about it...she went on to publicly apologize for it. He never met this woman and yet he somehow believes it’s sweet to spend eternity with her, because he bought and published pictures she was ashamed of?
 

Well I'm not sure anyone with any substance to them actually should be looking for that sort of fame. As for them becoming 'officially a hottie' nothing like that can ever be offical.

I don’t think that’s fair to the women. Certainly some had self esteem issues and were taken advantage of but not all of them did/were, there are plenty of former playmates who look back on their time fondly. Also, a woman’s “substance” isn’t measured by whether or not she’s comfortable with people seeing her body. A woman can be capable of more than one thing.

And back in the day being a playmate was a big deal and was like an official badge of hotness. It certainly doesn’t hold the same weight in recent times, but there was a time when being on playboy was something some women dreamed of.

Oh gawd, I had to stop reading that after they got into Holly Madison the poor wee little bunny... please. She and other girls make it sound as if he picked them up off the street, against their wills, and locked them up in that house like he's Buffalo Bill or something.

I find it interesting how different some of the girls experiences were. Numerous, Holly included, have negative feelings and have shared stories of manipulation. Others have good stories, like Kendra who was there at the same time as Holly. I think it’s totally possible (and likely) for him to have had both healthy and unhealthy relationships at the same time.

 

[Anyanka Bunny Slayer]

Well I'm not sure anyone with any substance to them actually should be looking for that sort of fame. As for them becoming 'officially a hottie' nothing like that can ever be offical. As for your comment about any single man doing what Hugh did to young girls? I wouldn't because I have morals. I'd rather a girl sleep with me because they like me rather than for my power or fame or whatever superficial reasons. And its not just that he slept with the girls, but he abused them. If you knew about some of the dark stories coming out of the Playboy Manison then I think you would find it hard to defend him. He's was a sleaze plain and simple for me.

I'm aware of the stories. As for those innocent little lambs he "abused" give me a moment so I can laugh in your face. Those girls sought out Playboy...most of them were willing to do ANYTHING to get in the magazine. And they did. Its hilarious how some people want to blame Hefner for the actions of desperate women...women who did EVERYTHING to be in Playboy. They slept with Hefner, the photographers, and whoever else was around. Just to be a Playboy Bunny.

I know it's fashionable to jump on the "Oh, I was abused" wagon, but c'mon now. Nobody forced those girls to do anything. They sought fame, and did whatever it took to accomplish their goal.