Playboy just named its first openly gay editor-in-chief. He wants to change the brand’s pornographic reputation amid a ‘sex recession’

Few media brands scream “straight” quite like Playboy. Since the 1950s, the men’s lifestyle magazine has been best known for its photos of nude and scantily clad women (aka Playmates)—and, of course, for its iconic bunny mascot.

But those who’ve been paying attention, Playboy has quietly undergone an editorial transformation. Since November, the magazine has relaunched its print edition (previously halted in 2020), started a Substack newsletter blending archival material with original writing, and introduced new Playmates to the world. It’s all been under the advice of Phillip Picardi, who was announced on March 11 as Playboy’s new chief brand officer and editor-in-chief, making him the first openly gay man to lead the brand. 

Picardi is a media veteran with more than a decade of experience shaping the magazine industry. As the digital editorial director of Teen Vogue, Picardi more than doubled the site’s online viewership and gave the brand a new politically progressive direction (a move that landed him on Fast Company‘s list of the 100 most creative people in business in 2017). From there, he founded Condé Nast’s queer-focused outlet them and served as editor-in-chief of Out Magazine.

What does it mean for a queer man to take the helm of a stereotypically straight institution? It’s not as antithetical as it first sounds, considering how far Playboy has come from its primarily pornographic roots. Per its website, the brand’s mission is “to create a culture where all people can pursue pleasure” via “core values of equality, freedom of expression and the idea that pleasure is a fundamental human right.” 

In an interview with ADWEEK, Picardi shared how his own queer identity fits into that inclusive Playboy ethos. “Queer rights don’t exist without women’s rights,” Picardi said. “These things are connected, and Playboy has always been very engaged with that.”

Picardi’s appointment comes shortly after that of David Miller, who left a role at National Geographic to become Playboy’s president of media and brand. The shake-up in leadership reflects a new era for Playboy, one that still centers sex, but not without acknowledging the culture surrounding it. That means publishing deep dives on the hypocrisy surrounding trans pornography, platforming Playmates eager to reclaim their sexuality, and honoring the legacy of Playboy’s past. 

Picardi also shared his vision for Playboy’s future, particularly given the rising conservatism of American culture.

“Our moment right now is both extremely prudish and extremely pornographic,” he said. “The idea that we need a publication that is able to explain sexuality as a cultural force, especially as our younger folks are facing a sex recession and loneliness epidemic—it felt like the right challenge.”

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