Everyone in America has stumbled across the name Marilyn Monroe. Her image is on t-shirts, inspirational posts, and she is mentioned in countless songs. The city of Palm Springs, California is even constructing a giant statue in honor of her. Marilyn Monroe has become so ingrained in American pop culture, but why? What exactly makes her so intriguing?
Who Is Marilyn Monroe?
Norma Jeane Mortenson, or more commonly known as Marilyn Monroe, grew up in Los Angeles, California. After a photographer from the First Motion Picture Unit discovered her, she began a successful modeling career. This helped kickstart her transformation into Hollywood’s legendary “blonde bombshell” still known and loved today. She also starred in films such as Niagara and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes during the 1950s.
The public held a particular fascination toward Marilyn’s troubled life behind the scenes. Marilyn grew up in a series of foster homes and struggled to find true love and lasting affection. Throughout her short life, she had a total of three husbands. She married her neighbor at only 16 years old. They divorced two years later, as Marilyn started her glamorous movie star career. Her second marriage to retired baseball star Joe DiMaggio lasted less than a year because of DiMaggio’s possessive and cruel behavior. Lastly, Marilyn’s final husband, playwright Arthur Miller, could not handle the pressures of Marilyn’s fame or give her the support she needed.
Marilyn also suffered from substance abuse and mental illness. In August 1962, the starlet was found dead in her home due to an overdose of barbiturates. According to PBS, Marilyn liked to wash her prescription pills down with a glass of champagne, creating a lethal combination. Even though Marilyn lived a life full of fame and had many idolizers, her tragic end just goes to show that the life of a movie star is not all filled with glitz and glamour.
She Reinvented Women’s Beauty Standards
Marilyn was famous for her bold red lips, her blond, bouncy curls, and her seductive voice. Her classic look is often imitated by today’s film stars. It also makes a popular Halloween costume; many girls strive to embody her image. More importantly, she promoted body positivity. Marilyn was not considered conventionally skinny. She proudly flaunted her seductive curves and refused to lose weight to conform to society’s standards. When she wore swimsuits, her stomach was not flat. She even wore tight fitting clothes, which proved that she was not ashamed of her body.
In the 1950s, women who wore anything slightly revealing were considered inappropriate and shameful. Many women saw Marilyn as a threat, so they disapproved of the way she dressed. Nowadays, women are embracing her as a symbol of body acceptance, self-love, and the normalization of female sexuality. Women should no longer feel ashamed for their size or their choice of clothing.
The critics of Marilyn’s time shamed her for dressing provocatively, stating that she would look better wearing a potato sack. This led to Marilyn donning a potato sack for a photo shoot with Twentieth Century Fox, showing the world that she is gorgeous no matter what she wears. In modern society, all sizes and shapes are considered beautiful and Marilyn Monroe contributed immensely to this standard of beauty. She taught young girls and women to embrace their flaws and that skinniness does not equate prettiness or perfection.
There are many curvy women in the media today who are celebrated for their bodies, such as Lizzo, Kim Kardashian, and Ashley Graham. None of these women look alike, but they all take pride in their appearances and who they are.
She Was Open About Sexual Abuse
In the current era of #MeToo, Marilyn’s openness about experiencing sexual abuse as a child and even during her career makes the planned statue of her seem inappropriate. The statue, called “Forever Marilyn,” depicts Marilyn bent over and wearing a flowing, upturned dress, inviting people to peek underneath her skirt. Some residents of Palm Springs believe that the statue is actually dishonoring her, and its presence in the city will represent an ignorance of all she endured. Women like Marilyn contributed to the rise of the #MeToo movement. Her honesty helped bring light upon the abuse and corruption in the film industry and encouraged other women to do the same.
She Amplified Black Voices
During the 1950s and 60s, the United States government began to address the issues of racial discrimination through the overturning of the “separate but equal” doctrine. However, this did not result in the immediate desegregation of schools, buses, bathrooms, or other public facilities. Many white people fought back against these new rulings. They were uncomfortable with the idea of sharing what they thought of as their space, with people of color. Parents removed their children from public schools and enrolled them in all-white schools instead. Black people faced an increasingly hostile and violent environment as whites attempted to keep them from upholding their rights.
Marilyn consistently showed support for Ella Fitzgerald, a jazz singer. Ella did not receive fair treatment due to the color of her skin. Many performance venues either denied her or gave her limited performance time. They did not permit her to enter the building through the front doors; instead, she had to go through the back or side entrances. This issue became so personal to Marilyn that she committed to appearing in the front row of every show of Ella’s to make sure Ella got to play for a full audience. Marilyn used her influence in the industry, along with her white privilege, to expand Ella’s opportunities. With her help, Ella could finally play at bigger, more popular places. Ella never forgot how Marilyn helped her and claimed that she owed Marilyn a great debt.
“I owe Marilyn a real debt…After that, I never had to play at a small jazz club again. She was an unusual woman – a little ahead of her times. And she didn’t know it.”
Ella Fitzgerald
Together, Marilyn and Ella took a stand against racial prejudice, making their friendship a prime example of what it means to effectively take advantage of privilege to help the oppressed. Marilyn also shows how women should support each other, rather than compete with each other.
The iconic actress changed the lives of women forever through her friendship with Ella Fitzgerald and her disruption of conventional beauty standards. Embracing others’ differences and confidently flaunting your true self will result in making the world a more peaceful and happier place.
As Marilyn once said:
“Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.”
Marilyn Monroe
Are you interested in reading more about empowered women?
