By Lauren Felechner
Published: November 09, 2009

By Lauren Felechner
Daily Titan Staff Writer

Marge Simpson has officially joined the ranks of celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Hugh Hefner’s ex-girlfriends of “The Girls Next Door,” Bridget, Holly and Kendra, by posing as November’s cover shot with a pictorial in Playboy magazine.

Who knew the blue-haired mother of three had such sex appeal and was able to hide it for so many years?

Denise Rios, 23, a women’s studies and human services major at Cal State Fullerton and president of the Women’s Studies Student Association on campus, views the pictorial as something “typical” for Playboy to do.

“I don’t think that the picture was OK in that it’s appealing to men in the wrong way,” Rios said. “It allows men to see women as sexual objects and not as human beings who can think. Her purpose is to sexually please her audience and not to say, ‘Hey, I own my sexuality.’”

The WSSA promotes a feminist approach to life, including critical thinking and questioning the human condition, and most important – the woman’s condition, Rios said.

Although coming from a feminist point of view, Rios sees the pictures as a way for the minds behind the photos to obtain the humor in which the creators of it were aiming for. With feminism, however, does degradation of women as a whole come into play with this pictorial?

“I think that it further perpetuates an image of women as an object of desire. This is not just a typical Playboy bunny. This is a presentation of the ‘perfect woman,’” Rios said. “She not only takes care of everything, but she can be sexy and very pleasing. Society expects women to be all these things, and many women cannot and that is why I think they had to create one.”

Neuroscience major Nicholle Chavez, 22, has been a fan of “The Simpsons” for as long as she can remember.

“Watching the show for so many years, it is kind of weird to hear that Marge has become a cover shot for Playboy. I don’t think people view her necessarily as a sex symbol, but ultimately, I think it’s kind of funny and nothing to get too worked up over,” Chavez said.

Alisa French, 22, a graduate of Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, agreed with Chavez.

“I think if anything, Playboy may have just been running out of ideas and that this could just be an act of desperation. I don’t think it’s a big enough deal to portray as a ‘woman’s rights’ issue because why make it that when it’s a cartoon and not an actual person?” French said. “However, it’s kind of weird that Marge has nipples.”

Since “The Simpsons” has been on FOX’s channel since 1989, many college-aged students grew up watching it.

So what does this mean for future generations with the show’s adult content and humor?

“I watched when I was younger and thought it was hilarious, but now that I look back on it, I don’t think it’s appropriate. I think that it sends kids a bad message,” Rios said.

French and Chavez were both curious as to if there was no “living hot girl” to pose as the cover shot.
“I would be kind of pissed if I was a guy that subscribed to the magazine and there was a cartoon on the cover,” French said. “I’m sure guys want the real thing and not something drawn in. Weird.”

Whatever the reason may be for putting Marge on the cover of this month’s Playboy, hopefully the world can still watch “The Simpsons” and think of Marge as the wholesome character she once was. If not, at least Bart, Lisa and Maggie have a hot mom.