Hugh Hefner calls for gay marriage

Playboy founder Hugh Hefner has made his support for LGBTI rights and gay marriage very clear in an upcoming issue of the magazine.

In a Playboy September editorial, Hefner criticises conservative leaders and accuses them of continuing “to assault the right of gays”.

The 86-year-old founder also said that struggle for marriage equality is “a fight for all of our rights”.

“Today, in every instance of sexual rights falling under attack, you’ll find legislation forced into place by people who practice discrimination disguised as religious freedom,” Hefner wrote.

“Their goal is to dehumanize everyone’s sexuality and reduce us to using sex for the sole purpose of perpetuating our species. To that end, they will criminalize your entire sex life.”

Hefner has been a long-time proponent of gay and civil rights since Playboy’s first issue in 1953.

In the 1960s, Hefner used the magazine that greatly influenced American society to push his vision of African American and LGBTI advancement into the mainstream.