“While Playboy Mexico never meant for the cover or images to offend anyone, we recognize that it has created offense, and we as well as Playboy Mexico offer our sincerest apologies.” -Statement from Playboy
The December issue of Mexico’s Playboy has model Maria Florencia Onori on the cover posing as the Virgin-wearing nothing but a white cloth. The headline reads: “We love/adore you, Maria/Mary.”
The Virgin of Guadalupe is Mexico’s most revered Roman Catholic figure and the annual pilgrimage to the Mexico City basilica dedicated to her is among the world’s largest religious events.
The Lady of Guadalupe is traditionally shown wearing a blue scarf, not a white one, and she also wears more than just the scarf. It seems that a lot of people are upset about the timing of this issue, as The Playboy with a Nude Virgin Mary was released a day before the start of the festival of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
It is not uncommon for Playboy to try and be cute with it’s semi-nude cover images and I am guessing they intentionally choose a model named Maria for the nude Virgin Mary image.
Let’s be honest here, a nude Virgin Mary on the cover of Playboy is not exactly in the same league of offensive images as Andres Serrano’s Piss Jesus or David LaChapelle‘s Lil’ Kim as The Virgin Mary. As always, Playboy leads the way with the kinder, gentler form of porn.
Poor taste perhaps, but nothing as offensive as the Piss Jesus image. That downright frosted my you know what.
Have a terrific day. 🙂