Offered a Window into a Hidden World
For those who weren't "out," Taboo was a safe, private way to explore desires they couldn't express in public.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s,...
Avoided Over-Commercialization, Despite its brand connection to Hustler, Taboo rarely included overt product placement. Ads were usually for independent fetish brands or personal...
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, a new type of photography emerged that challenged traditional boundaries between art and pornography. This style, known as "Erotic Photography," combined nude...
Taboo's content is considered too graphic for mainstream audiences
Taboo magazine's content has been described as being more explicit than most of its contemporaries, which have toned down their...
Served as Precursor to Today's Kink Magazines
Taboo was an American magazine published from 1952 to 1986 that featured sensational and controversial articles about sex and eroticism. It began its...
Promoted Erotic Writing Contest
A promoted writing contest is an event that encourages people to write about their experiences in erotica. It can be either fiction or nonfiction. Usually, it takes...
Explored Fetish and Disability
In rare but powerful features, Taboo included stories or imagery that involved disabled models or addressed accessibility within kink culture. This was significant...
The word “fetish” has been around for centuries, but it wasn't until the late 19th century that it became associated with sexual desire. In the early 20th century, Freud popularized the concept of...
First Exposure to Kink for Many Readers
For readers growing up in conservative or rural areas, Taboo was often their first exposure to kink—offering a radical and life-changing sense of...
Celebrated Androgyny and Gender Nonconformity in Erotic Publications
In the past, traditional erotic publications such as Playboy magazine rarely featured models who defied binary gender...