LOS ANGELES—Penthouse magazine has officially named Renee Olstead as its 2024 Pet of the Year.
A lifelong Penthouse fan and January 2023’s Pet of the Month, Olstead embraced her latest title with gratitude in a celebratory announcement and Q&A interview with 2020 PPOY Lacy Lennon. “It was a no-brainer accepting Pet of the Month and POY 2024. I mean ... that’s the dream. The way that Penthouse has treated me has made me feel like family, which created immense loyalty.”
Beyond modeling, Olstead is deeply invested in sex worker rights, leveraging her master’s degree in psychology to drive meaningful change, a magazine representative said.
“I think sex workers know better than anyone that oftentimes we have targets on our backs. There’s so much legislation, even beyond just decriminalization, that needs to be changed,” she explained.
Recently, she met with a Wisconsin lawmaker to propose legislation protecting sex workers. “We are in the initial stages, but I got a good reaction. I’m hoping that I can follow up on that.”
Her creative vision also plays a key role in her success, the representative said.
“I love it when I can be in my creative, sexy, feminine energy and have time to create fantasies with depth,” she shared. “I shoot most of my own content, so it means gathering references, setting up the location, and planning out poses and accessories. I want everything to have a unique energy.”
Olstead elaborated that Penthouse has given her the freedom to express that creativity and added, “I’ve had more of a chance to collaborate in how I am presented and what feels authentic. More so than any other job I’ve been on, and I will say, more so than working in mainstream.”
Looking ahead, Olstead said she hopes to make the most of her POY 2024 title and pursue academic goals. “I’d love to visit the Penthouse clubs, do signing events with fans, and continue my advocacy work. My most significant accomplishment? I am proud of myself for finishing my master’s, and next year I’m hoping to apply for a PhD program.”
To view Olstead’s Penthouse POY 2024 announcement and interview, visit Penthouse.com and follow Olstead at xorenee.com.