by John Waters
First published 2024
Waters opens his tribute to Playgirl magazine by examining its origins in the 1970s as more than just male centerfolds for women. The publication carved out space for barrier-breaking female profiles, reproductive health coverage, and conversations with feminist leaders alongside its tasteful erotic photography. Waters shows how the magazine attracted both its intended female audience and a substantial gay male readership. He draws from five decades of archived materials, including articles, photography, and artwork that spans from the publication's founding through the present day. The book features both historical content and new essays that explore the magazine's beginnings, its connection to women's liberation, and its influence on popular culture. Waters argues that Playgirl operated as a cultural force rather than simply imitating existing men's magazines, creating its own distinct identity in publishing.
Genres: art, 20th-century, gender-studies, feminism, adult, biography-memoir, 21st-century, cultural-studies
Vibes: historical, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: cultural-examination, historical-exploration, social-commentary
Setting: United States
Period: 1970s, 20th Century, 21st Century
240 pages · Hardcover · Cernunnos