Starting next year, the publication long known for showcasing the female physique, will no longer feature models in the nude, according to a report in The New York Times.
The decision apparently rose from a meeting with current Playboy editor-in-cheif, Hugh Hefner, and an editor at the magazine, amid discussions about a forthcoming update of the magazine.
The Times' Ravi Somaiya writes that now that Playboy has effectively accomplished its founding goal of "normalizing" the female body by introducing women to the world in their au naturel state, the magazine's mission has been accomplished. Keep in mind, in the days before Playboy landed on magazine racks (the 1950s) womens' nudity was very, very taboo.
Playboy cheif executive, Scott Flanders is quoted in The Times here: "That battle has been fought and won ... you're now one click away from every sex act imaginable for free."