Gloria Steinem Went Undercover at 28 for Famous Exposé About the Playboy Club. She Came to Regret the Article

Gloria Steinem, a prominent figure in the feminist movement, passed away on September 2 at the age of 92. Celebrated for her pivotal role in advocating women’s rights, Steinem’s career included a significant turning point in 1963, when she authored “A Bunny’s Tale,” an exposé detailing her undercover work as a waitress at the Playboy Club in New York City. Although this article marked a breakthrough in her journalism career, Steinem later expressed regret over her decision to write it.

In “A Bunny’s Tale,” published in Show Magazine, Steinem recounts her experiences in a role that was far from the glamorous fantasy presented by Playboy. She noted the physical and emotional toll her time at the club took on her. In a 2020 interview with Interview Magazine, she famously described the experience as akin to being “hung on a meat hook,” as she struggled to function in high heels and a painfully tight costume.

Steinem took on this assignment under the pseudonym Marie Ochs, responding to an advertisement seeking “attractive young girls” for the role of bunnies. Despite being 28 at the time—older than the specified age range—she secured a position and began her transformative journey in the world of journalism. Kathryn Leigh Scott, a fellow former Playboy bunny, described Steinem’s initial role as a “Door Bunny,” where she greeted guests before moving on to serve drinks.

Her piece cast a spotlight on the underbelly of the Playboy brand, revealing an environment rife with harassment and insufficient pay for the women employed there. Steinem vividly illustrated the physical challenges of her role, detailing the discomfort inflicted by her costume, which left her feet swollen and caused bruising around her waist. This firsthand account not only challenged the male-dominated spectacle of the club but also set the stage for Steinem’s future as a leading voice in the women’s liberation movement.

Despite the acclaim she received for the exposé, which subsequently led to work with esteemed publications such as The New York Times and New York Magazine, Steinem later reflected on her choice to write the article with significant misgivings. In a 2011 interview with ABC News, she described it as a “professional error of gigantic proportions,” lamenting the difficulties it caused in obtaining serious journalism assignments thereafter.

Steinem’s regret was palpable as she recalled it being a personal and professional calamity that overshadowed her career. “I could not have made a bigger mistake,” she stated in an interview, acknowledging the long-term ramifications it had on how she was perceived in the field. The derogatory label of “former Bunny” was often used against her, as adversaries sought to undermine her credibility.

Nevertheless, the impact of “A Bunny’s Tale” was not wholly negative. Steinem recognised that her work had, in some ways, improved conditions for women in similar roles. “On the other hand, I did improve the working conditions for those women,” she noted in a 2016 interview, highlighting a complex duality in her experience.

Ultimately, while Steinem’s undercover stint at the Playboy Club may have contributed to some challenges throughout her career, her subsequent achievements and unwavering commitment to feminist causes speak volumes about her influence. From founding Ms. Magazine in 1971 to becoming a formidable advocate for women’s rights, Steinem’s legacy continues to resonate in contemporary discussions about equality.

As the feminist icon’s life is celebrated, her candid reflections on her early career remind us of the evolving landscape of women’s rights and the ongoing struggle for empowerment and respect in various professional arenas.