The demise of Playgirl leaves a void in the North American magazine landscape for women's erotica, says the title's final editor in chief.

After a 35-year run, Playgirl will continue in an online version only. The last print issue, completed in early October, is now available on newsstands.

Since its launch in 1973, the magazine has struggled with new publishers, changing editors and a shifting readership over the years.

Though there was "an element of surprise" when staff learned of the print edition's demise in July, "we weren't terribly surprised to hear it was all going online," editor in chief Nicole Caldwell told CBC Radio's cultural affairs show Q on Thursday.

"We did find it pretty unfortunate, because we had been enjoying higher numbers in the last year and a half or so. We were feeling quite confident in the direction we were taking it," she said.

By the end, the magazine was completed with just Caldwell and two staffers, bolstered by "a team of unpaid interns and a lot of freelancers."

Established in a completely different era, Playgirl originally mixed its sexy shots of men with articles exploring topics like abortion, drug addiction, birth control and other female health issues, as well as writing by the likes of Joyce Carol Oates, Raymond Carver, Margaret Atwood, Maya Angelou and Tennessee Williams.

It was also born during a time when feminists had the mentality that "what's good for the guys is good for the women," said Globe and Mail columnist and cultural commentator Karen von Hahn.

"Now it seems to be very much about a recognition that men and women are fundamentally different," said the Toronto writer. "I don't think [the magazine] was ever what women wanted. I think they tried on the pantsuit and they tried being the guy and looking at sexuality and experiencing sexuality that same way, but it never really fit."

Uncertain formula

Speaking from New York, Caldwell said that in addition to a wider decline in U.S. print media in general, a key obstacle was the publisher's perception of the title — when it was first launched and even through to its demise.

"One of the fundamental problems with Playgirl from the beginning was assuming that you could take the formula that you would apply for men and just give it to women, just inversing the general roles. I don't think that's an effective way to run it," Caldwell said.

She added that this view still persists with Playgirl's publisher Blue Horizon Media, whom she said made advertising choices in recent years that have been directed toward gay men, despite the magazine's editorial content remaining female-focused.

"Just applying the same old cheesy men's magazine esthetic unfortunately is not a turn-on for women," agreed von Hahn.

Caldwell admitted that, when she first started her job in 2006, it took a bit of time to become accustomed to seeing images of nude men constantly. However, it also made her realize how North American culture in general is uncomfortable with male nudity, though images of naked women are commonplace.

"To me, the biggest frustration [of the print magazine ending] is that this was the one, singular place where women could go to pursue real erotic content that wasn't online porn," she said.

"It's sad to see it end. To me it sort of feels like giving up, and it leaves a void there. Hopefully somebody will come along — with a creative mind — and really get into this and not just abandon the idea of a truly feminist undertaking for women's erotica."