French model Ines Rau, 26, will appear as the November centerfold, reports the New York Times. Rau, who has previously appeared in magazines including Vogue in both the U.S. and Italy, will be the magazine’s first transgender Playmate. Cooper Hefner, Playboy’s chief creative officer, said choosing Rau “very much speaks to the brand’s philosophy. It’s the right thing to do. We’re at a moment where gender roles are evolving.”
Predictably, there has been some backlash on social media, with some saying they’ll cancel their Playboy subscription now. However, Playboy has countered by saying these are the exact same threats people made when it decided to feature its first African-American Playmate back in 1965.
In March 1965, we featured Jenny Jackson, our first black Playmate. pic.twitter.com/2zXtQ4EDrd
— Playboy (@Playboy) October 19, 2017
Many fans revoked their subscription or returned the issue. pic.twitter.com/Xueo3hSDmx
— Playboy (@Playboy) October 19, 2017
Many more fans embraced Jenny Jackson, her beauty, and Playboy’s decision. pic.twitter.com/CUimjjbNbt
— Playboy (@Playboy) October 19, 2017
History repeats itself. pic.twitter.com/KVGmQMc4gg
— Playboy (@Playboy) October 19, 2017
Standing on the right side of history. pic.twitter.com/i9ySJ4yBrL
— Playboy (@Playboy) October 19, 2017