Shirley Jones considers Playboy

At 75, the Partridge Family matriarch would be the oldest woman to go nude in the magazine. Is this empowering -- or just another cheap way to sexualize females of all ages?

Published May 11, 2009 4:59PM (EDT)

Page Six item this morning that Broadsheet readers might be interested in discussing: According to the august gossips at the New York Post, former Partridge Family mom Shirley Jones, who is 75, is considering posing nude for Playboy. It would make her the oldest woman to go naked for the magazine. Nancy Sinatra posed at 54 in 1995. Somewhat skeevily, it's Jones' husband and manager, Marty Ingels, who's pushing for it to happen, telling Page Six, "She's still drop-dead gorgeous, and at the age of 75, a natural beauty."

That's sweet and all, but there might be better ways to show your appreciation than offering her up nude to the world. On the other hand, Ingels continues, "I think it would be sensational. Mature women are relevant." So, vocal readers and those who are guaranteed to simply write about how gross it is: Would this be empowering? Socially important? Just another way to sexualize women of all ages?


By Rebecca Traister

Rebecca Traister writes for Salon. She is the author of "Big Girls Don't Cry: The Election that Changed Everything for American Women" (Free Press). Follow @rtraister on Twitter.

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