Back in the days of all-girl dorms, my friends and I often passed around a copy of Playgirl. Immersed in feminism, we had no problem feeling as empowered as men to look at sexy — even full-frontal — images. It was a kick to check out the hot, exposed guys. Looking back, I have no doubt we sometimes exaggerated our responses to the photos, carrying on about some guy’s attributes just for the fun of it.
Los Angeles–based nightclub owner Douglas Lambert created Playgirl to rival Playboy (though Women’s Wear Daily claimed it was Lambert’s wife who had the idea to feature nude men). The first issue came out in June 1973, as Playgirl: The Magazine for Women, and featured a four-page nude — but discreet — pictorial of hunky Lyle Waggoner, from the Carol Burnett Show. The magazine continued in print until 2016, re-launched in print briefly in 2020, and is ongoing as a monthly digital pub.
It’s now Playgirl’s 50th anniversary, and the milestone is being marked’ with a glossy coffee-table book, Playgirl: The Official History of a Cult Magazine, filled with centerfolds, cover images, interviews, articles, and cartoons, and a celebratory cocktail reception at the West Village’s Bookmarc. Back in our dorm, we didn’t really think about Playgirl becoming iconic in the gay community; at this golden anniversary celebration, the libations are being provided by Supergay Vodka.
One difference between us girls and the guys reading Playboy was that we didn’t feel the need to pretend we got Playgirl for the articles. In fact, shamefully, I only learned through the new book that the magazine had featured writers such as Maya Angelou, Truman Capote, and Anaïs Nin. But circulating Playgirl among dorm mates represented a kind of freedom, which is always worth celebrating. ❖
Laura Bell is an editor at the Village Voice.