Hugh Hefner, the founder and editor-in-chief of Playboy, has penned an essay in the magazine’s latest (nude-free) issue, declaring victory over conservative Republicans in the decades-long struggle since the sexual revolution began in the 1960s.
The increasing tolerance of conservatives towards gays, Hefner claims, marks the defeat of efforts to “ban any lifestyle or preference that doesn’t fit into their Chrisitan crusade to eliminate all sexual activity that doesn’t lead to procreation.”
Hefner’s essay appears alongside several others — none by conservatives — in what the magazine bills as its “Freedom Issue.” The July/August edition is perhaps the most left-wing yet since Playboy dropped nudity.
The main interview features author Ta-Nehisi Coates, who has emerged as a leading voice of the Black Lives Matter movement, and who believes America should pay reparations for slavery.
(There are no black models in the issue.)
In his essay, titled “The Conservative Sex Movement,” Hefner cites the rise of “thrice-married” Donald Trump and the defeat of conservative Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) in the GOP primary as a sign of the “sexual revolution in the Republican Party.”
He adds: “After losing two presidential elections, core conservatives realize the time has come for the party to stop pandering to America’s fanatical religious minority and give up a losing war to suppress our sexual rights.”
He accuses conservatives of trying “to eliminate access to birth control” and “pass discriminatory laws against gays,” among other dubious charges.
“We have already won those battles, and we will win them again,” he says. “These are the final skirmishes of a retreating army of self-appointed moral authorities who have been defeated again and again for the past five decades.”
Playboy ran its last nude issue in December 2015, after collapsing circulation forced it to appeal to mainstream tastes. Hefner also recently sold his famous mansion.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News. His new book, See No Evil: 19 Hard Truths the Left Can’t Handle, will be published by Regnery on July 25 and is available for pre-order through Amazon. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.