VIVA: The Erotic Magazine That Helped Shape Feminism: with Jennifer Romolini

PRETTYSMART

Through the story of VIVA, an erotic magazine for women created by Bob Guccione (founder of the men’s magazine Penthouse), we are getting a history lesson today on FEMINISM! First wave, second wave, third wave, fourth wave? What does it all mean and where are we now?

A little background: While VIVA was created by one of the most prominent figures in adult entertainment, it was staffed by female writers and editors and featured groundbreaking full-frontal male nudes, writing by feminist icons like Betty Friedan and profiles of literary legends like Maya Angelou. Its cover stars include Bianca Jagger and Shelley Duvall. Anna Wintour was even VIVA’s fashion editor at one point. But what is originally conceived as a high-end, progressive, sexual utopia for women… doesn't quite turn out that way.

Jennifer Romolini is an award-winning writer, editor, and author of "Weird in a World That's Not: A Career Guide for Misfits" and the upcoming memoir, “Ambition Monster” (Atria Books, 2024). A longtime media executive, Romolini is the host of Crooked Media’s latest series “STIFFED”, which tells the true story of VIVA, one the first erotic magazines for women, and co-host of the “Everything is Fine” podcast with former Lucky Magazine editor-in-chief, Kim France. She started her career as a magazine fact checker working at Talk, Lucky, Glamour, Cosmo, and Allure. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, ELLE, Vogue, Fast Company, and many magazines that no longer exist.

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